- Plastic Cast: heat-moldable plastic is shaped around a patient’s limb using rivets.
- Plastic Foam: polyurethane foam could stabilize trauma patients. Foam expands inside the body to prevent blood loss, and conform to the shape of injured tissue.
- 3-D Body Part Printing: 3-D printed implants are being created from living cells and polyester plastic; example is an ear.
- 3-D Printed Plastic Splint: a 3-D printed tracheal splint was implanted into a baby made from polycaprolactone, a medical plastic.
- Artificial Cornea: these silicone corneas treat eye injuries or chronic inflammations. They can restore vision and are similar to a natural cornea.
- Hearing Aids: a new implant directly stimulates the auditory nerve: microphone, microcomputer, stimulator, and an electrode carrier.
- Spinal Implants: a cervical interbody fusion system made of machined polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods has been approved by the U.S. FDA.
- Absorbable Heart Stent: blood flow to the heart can be restored with a plastic heart stent, which can later dissolve into the body.
- Vaccination patches: a skin patch containing plastic “micro needles” could possibly deliver vaccinations painlessly, replacing injections.
- Plastic Heart: plastic tubes mimic heart valves to let blood in and out of plastic ventricles in an artificial heart.
- Artificial Blood Vessels: these are made by coating a biodegradable, plastic mesh tube with human or animal muscle cells.
- Plastic Knee Replacements: a new ceramic and plastic knee implant is to last 20 to 30 years longer than traditional knee replacements.
- Hip Replacements: metal-on-metal hip replacements are declining due to new technologies and materials: ceramic polyethylene (a medial-grade plastic).
- Self-healing Prosthetics: this plastic skin recognizes injury and is self healing. It has the sensitivity and flexibility of human skin and can restore its electrical and mechanical properties.
- Prosthesis: plastic orthopedic devices align, correct, and support deformities, and can improve the function of movable body parts.
- Plastics in Medical Implants: ethylene vinyl acetate, Proniva self-reinforced polyphenylene (SRP), Veriva polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), Zeniva (PEEK)
- Bacteria-Resistant Plastics: these nonstick plastics can help ward off disease and contamination.
- Polycarbonate Medical Devices: transparent medical tools are being manufactured from polycarbonate.