By Gayle Putrich
STAFF REPORTER
Published: March 10, 2014 2:11 pm ET
Updated: March 10, 2014 2:16 pm ET
ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Compounding giant PolyOne Corp. is bringing innovation to the catheter market with its NEU View Radiopaque Translucent Solutions.
NEU Specialty Engineered Materials LLC, a subsidiary of the Avon Lake, Ohio-based firm, introduced a patent-pending technology at February’s MD&M West trade show to manufacture radiopaque yet visually translucent catheters.
Unlike most catheters that show up on X-rays with only a stripe — if technicians get a lucky shot — NEU View products are fully visible in films and scans, said Craig Nikrant, president of PolyOne Global Specialty Engineered Materials. At the same time, the catheters are optically translucent, allowing clinicians to see fluids and spot potentially harmful air bubbles. A single catheter can also be used for both intravenous and X-ray procedures.
“With NEU View, catheter manufacturers can offer a commercially viable product that has excellent visibility, optically and under X-ray, with increased clinician confidence because they will have visual confirmation of fluid flow and fewer needle sticks for the patient,” Nikrant said. “That’s a significant market advantage.”
NEU View technology also increases production efficiency by eliminating the co-extrusion process used to manufacture striped catheters, as well as reducing material usage and scrap rates, according to the company.
NEU View formulations for cardiovascular and intravascular catheters are application-specific, incorporating medical-grade polymers, additives, color, and healthcare-centric manufacturing practices. They are available in certified USP Class VI and ISO 10993 compositions. | 
