Synthetic Lubricants For Medical Devices

Selecting the right lubricant optimizes performance and extends the life of medical equipment. A wide variety of lubricants are available for medical devices. Humulin and Humalog Pens, disposable insulin delivery devices by Eli Lilly and Co., use a damping grease to ensure plunger resistance stays consistent throughout the injection cycle. The Thrombelastograph (TEG) Coagulation Analyzer, manufactured by Haemoscope Corp. of Skokie, Ill., tracks in real time the shear elasticity of a blood clot and its ability to stop bleeding during medical procedures. It relies on two greases, one in the gear motor and the other where mating parts slide on the frame. A subfractional horsepower electric gearmotor by Autotrol Corp., Crystal Lake, Ill., powers the TEG Analyzer. Gearing lubrication is a light, thixotropic, synthetic hydrocarbon grease. High-speed dental drills use synthetic hydrocarbon oils in the turbine bearings. Typically, the bearings are relubricated with oil and placed in an autoclave after each use. A modular surgical handpiece system from OsteoMed Corp., Addison, Tex., is used to dissect and drill small bones. A filtered, fortified synthetic hydrocarbon oil applied after use and prior to autoclaving flushes and lubricates bearings in the system's saw and drill attachments. Synthetic lubricants can do much more than reduce friction and wear. They can lengthen operating life, broaden the working temperature range, cut noise, and keep mechanisms from sticking. In medical devices, they can also impart a clinically appropriate feel, seal against dust and the environment, and reduce design and production costs. By taking a look at how synthetic lubricants helped in a handful of different types of medical design projects, engineers can get an idea of what these lubricants can do for them. Damping grease: Just what the doctor ordered Eli Lilly and Co., the drug maker headquartered in Indianapolis, took a great leap forward in insulin-delivery technology last year with its disposable, pocket-size, prefilled "insulin pens." The Humulin and Humalog pens (named for the insulin they inject) accommodate diabetics on unpredictable schedules and those who have trouble with syringes. The Chicago-based design firm IDEO and lubrication experts from Nye helped Lilly select the damping grease used in the pen. The pens