Medical device coatings (MDCs) can improve the maneuverability and performance of medical devices such as surgical, cardiovascular, orthopedic, dental implants, neurological and gynecological devices. They help keep cutting tool edges sharp while improving wear resistance, reducing wear between sliding parts and increasing lubricity. They also help prevent allergens in the fight against bacteria in medical devices that many patients can use without the risk of new infections.

In addition, they offer many useful benefits, such as an anti-glare surface for bright operating theaters, preventing dirt from settling in the presence of blood and tissues, and antimicrobial properties.

Medical device coatings market trends:

The prevalence of nosocomial infections (HAI) due to contaminated medical devices such as catheters and respirators is currently increasing. This, together with the antimicrobial properties of MDC, is one of the key factors driving the market.

The use of minimally invasive (MI) medical devices with an appropriate coating is increasing to minimize damage and protect patients from thrombogenicity, vascular damage, and other internal damage. . This, combined with the growing availability of new medical devices worldwide, has had a positive effect on the market.

In addition, the growing workload of implantable devices such as pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs), coronary stents, hip implants, interstitial lenses and implantable insulin pumps that drive patients' lives are driving market growth. 

The growing demand for nanocoating in medical facilities to remove dry particles, water, oil and impurities offers many growth opportunities for investors in the sector. In addition, governments in many countries have invested heavily in the healthcare sector, which in turn has stimulated market growth.

Driver: Increased use of minimally invasive surgical procedures

In minimally invasive surgery, doctors use a variety of surgical techniques that are less damaging to the body than open surgery. Minimally invasive surgery is associated with less pain, shorter hospital stays and fewer complications. This type of operation offers many advantages over traditional open operation methods.

In many cases, it also offers a higher degree of accuracy compared to traditional open operation. The importance of less invasive medical procedures is growing than conventional surgical procedures. The growing prevalence of arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disease, which require comprehensive surgical treatment, increases the need for minimally invasive procedures.

It increases the consumption of light medical devices such as intravascular catheters, guidewires, balloon angioplasty catheters, insertion sheaths, and implant delivery systems that can navigate complex and sensitive parts of the body. These devices are often used in minimally invasive procedures in the cerebrovascular, cardiovascular and peripheral vascular systems.

They often have hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings for rapid penetration of such devices into narrow vascular areas with reduced tissue damage. Thus, medical coatings play an important role in improving cost efficiency and low time and are particularly preferred in these medical procedures. For example, the use of coatings on medical devices for cardiac and urinary catheterization procedures significantly reduces the time required for the respective medical or surgical procedure.

Prevention: High start-up costs and rising raw material prices

The production of a medical coating requires large initial and ongoing costs. There are many old and expired patents in this area, and medical coatings developers are not allowed to create new coatings based on previous patents to prevent royalties.

Therefore, an advance payment is required to gain access to the expired technology. This factor hinders the growth of this market. The elimination of all previous costs and inconveniences is expected to lead to an explosion of technological improvements. Creating new medical coatings involves legal battles, signing confidentiality agreements and other costs. Rising raw material costs such as silicone rubber and PTFE have also to some extent limited the growth of the medical coatings market.

Chances: A comprehensive design of medical devices that require the application of an atomic layer

The range of applications of medical coating is relatively high due to its functional properties. There is a growing awareness of advances in medical facilities used to treat, reduce, diagnose and prevent disease and abnormal physical conditions.

The medical technology sector has been constantly evolving; The main areas of interest are innovative imaging devices and systems, minimally invasive therapeutic products, combined devices and medical / biological products, computer devices and medical IT systems, home and self-care products, patient monitoring systems and artificial organs and organs - assistant product.

Innovative instruments range from simple surgical instruments such as tongue depressors and trays to complex programmable pacemakers with microchip technology and laser surgical devices. The growing complexity of medical devices has led to the use of different materials in the manufacture of these devices.

However, the materials used to make these devices may not be biocompatible and hemocompatible. Demand for medical coatings is expected to increase to achieve the required properties of the device. Coatings may be required to cover all or part of the complex structure and the various materials used in the tool must be adhered to. Market participants are developing coating methods and techniques to maintain progress on existing substrates as well as newly developed substrates and polymers.

The complex nature of medical devices requires the coating of an atomic layer to form a uniform layer in the target area of the device. Advances in medical device design also require the use of nanotechnologies that can apply multiple coatings and help eliminate defects and improve biocompatibility. Continuous advances in medical technology offer medical coating manufacturers the opportunity to develop the best possible solution to critical end-use requirements.

Challenge: Fast and time-consuming regulatory approval process

All medical devices must pass design verification tests to determine whether they meet the specifications and therefore require time for approval. Regulators do not approve coatings on their own.

Medical OEMs have a choice of different coating materials and methods for medical devices. Involving a coating supplier at the beginning of a product development cycle is particularly beneficial for OEMs and can positively affect development speed, efficiency and cost. Coated equipment must be approved or cleaned by regulatory authorities.

However, some coating manufacturers test their coatings to maintain high quality. The major paint manufacturers on the market also have a master file with the FDA that lists all the patented ingredients and processes included in the product. This can be solved by the equipment manufacturer by referring to its submission regulations.

This can save device development time. However, the regulatory approval process remains time consuming. Approval time varies depending on the type of device. FDA approval usually takes more than three months. Many coating manufacturers provide regulatory services to their customers, where they can provide support in filing regulatory documents and verifying coating design requirements and validation processes.

Changes in regulations may affect both medical device manufacturers and medical coating manufacturers. FDA regulation is likely to be more complicated and costly in the future.

Passive coatings are the largest component of the coating type

The share of passive paint makes up the largest share of the total market. Hydrophilic coatings are widely used in guidewires, catheters and introducer sheaths to reduce the coefficient of friction. These coatings have properties such as slipperiness, durability, low coefficient of friction and low particle count.

Hydrophobic coatings repel water or liquid and are therefore suitable for medical devices. The low intrusion and rapid penetration of medical devices into the biological holes provided by the hydrophilic coating and the excellent water resistance properties that the hydrophobic coating exhibits are largely responsible in the passive media coatings market.

Polymers are the fastest growing component of this type of material
Polymer-based medical coatings are used in medical devices, medical equipment and instruments, protective clothing and medical implants. They are needed to optimize service life and corrosion resistance while reducing the coefficient of friction.

The main subtypes of polymer coatings used in medical devices, medical implants and other applications are fluoropolymers, silicone, parylene and polyurethanes. Ease of use, low cost, excellent performance, multifunctionality and short particle technology expand the market for polymer-based medical coatings.

Medical devices are the fastest growing part of the application

The market for medical coatings is divided on the basis of the application of medical devices, medical implants, medical equipment and tools, protective fabrics, etc. The growing use of medical devices in emerging economies such as China and India has led to high market growth.

The pandemic has further increased the need for medical devices such as catheters, guidewires, endotracheal cannulas, pressurized respirators, in vitro diagnostic devices, cannulas, ventilators, ventilator accessories, infusion pumps, respirators, and more.