The Impact of Technical Textiles on Health and Wellbeing Current Developments and Future Possibilities

Abstract

The impacts of technical textiles upon society have been influential and have fundamentally impacted upon the structure of everyday human life. As populations continue to age, patient expectations for implant performance will continue to rise. The potential for high performing bio-medical materials is being realized and will continue to advance the evolution towards more fibre based approaches to device development that will perform more effectively and comfortably both outside and inside the human body. Medical textile breakthroughs have provided a broad array of implantable devices including vascular grafts, surgical mesh, heart valve components, orthopaedic sutures and fabric scaffolds designed to aid tissue repair. Technical textiles have the potential to perform better, last longer and increase comfort in the body as well as alleviating concerns around more traditional implanted materials such as metal. Although minimal invasive approaches to cardiovascular and orthopaedic procedures can be promoted with the use of technical textiles, they can be used in a more innovative way than simply repairing or replacing damaged tissue as surgeons can now use their ability to aid regrowth and natural functioning of damaged areas within the body. Global recessions and healthcare cost increases have had a marked global impact on every institution and organisation involved with the delivery of healthcare services and products. The NHS is constantly looking to make savings without compromising quality and this is placing the technical textile industry in a dynamic position to respond to these economic pressures. This paper examines key areas in which innovation in textile technology is promoting health and wellbeing. It considers the commercial and academic context in which these innovations are being developed, examines the main sectors in which these innovations are being directed, and concludes by suggesting which aspects of health and wellbeing are likely to gain the most from the application of technical textiles in the short and long term.