Life-Saving Technologies: PCB Manufacturing’s Contribution to Emergency Medical Devices

These days, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a central component in every type imaginable electronic devices, powering all kinds of items, such as virtual reality headsets, drones, smart devices, and more. Beyond these exciting applications, though, there are also many practical uses for such technology.

One of the most significant domains in which PCBs are applied is health and wellness, as PCBs also play a pivotal role in the development of the latest and most advanced medical devices that are changing the lives of millions of people for the better.

In fact, the majority of the most efficient, effective, and safe medical devices on the market today feature PCBs as a core component.

The advancement of PCB technology over time has helped pave the path for groundbreaking medical breakthroughs, such as the early detection and treatment of serious illnesses and the advanced monitoring of patients as they heal from various ailments and/or procedures.

Why the Demand for PCBs Is Growing in the Medical Industry

Stress on medical services has been rising for many years in every corner of the globe as the world’s population continues to grow. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified many of the issues present within these stressed healthcare systems to the tenth degree while also greatly disrupting global supply chains and workflows.

Consequently, it was up to PCB manufacturers to react quickly and facilitate the development of advanced medical equipment to help healthcare providers diagnose and treat patients at a time when resources were minimal.

While, fortunately, much has returned to normal in the wake of this pandemic, the demand for new and innovative medical technology continues to rise as patients around the world deal with the aftereffects of COVID-19.

Aside from the direct impacts of the pandemic on the medical world and the heightened demand for efficient and effective PCB manufacturing, the consistent drive within the medical assistance and healthcare realm to always do better by patients and to strive for progress has also helped push PCB development to all-new heights.

Nowadays, as wearables are increasingly used and mobile health tech is becoming common, the demand for versatile circuit boards has resulted in smaller and more flexible PCB designs. As this push continues, it will be exciting to see the innovations that arise down the line in the world of PCB design and development.

What are some of the latest and most important emergency medical devices that use PCBs?

In modern times, countless aspects of the medical industry have become computerized for the sake of improved efficiency. Thus, dependence on circuit boards has increased for several medical devices used at various stages, from detection and diagnosis to treatment and recovery.

While many of the medical devices that employ PCBs these days are quite standard, such as defibrillators and medical imaging systems, some of the most innovative devices rely on them as well. The following are some of the categories of medical devices that rely heavily on PCBs:

Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Devices

Two of the most critical components of modern healthcare provision are medical imaging and diagnostic equipment. A large percentage of the new imaging/diagnostic devices that are used in modern hospitals rely on PCBs.

This includes ultrasound equipment, which is used to study unborn fetuses, abdominal and pelvic organs, muscles and tendons, and the heart and blood vessels; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is used to diagnose issues related to soft tissues; and computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans, which are used to observe various body parts, including bones, muscles, and organs.

Many physicians rely on such equipment and the detailed information it provides to guide their approach to treating patients faced with all kinds of different conditions.

Monitoring Devices

Another major category of medical devices in which PCBs are used is monitoring devices. These include body temperature monitors, blood pressure monitors, blood glucose monitors, heart rate monitors, x-ray computed tomography, EMG activity monitoring systems, nerve stimulator units, pacemakers, electrical muscle stimulation apparatus, and flow rate and dispensing systems.

The PCBs used in such devices are specially designed for medical instrumentation and are rigorously tested to ensure they meet a wide range of medical standards. Due to their consistent and reliable monitoring, physicians can closely observe the states of their patients at all times so that they can respond appropriately.

Implantable Medical Devices

Implantable medical devices often require unique and specialized PCBs, such as those that are made with flexible boards, due to the necessities posed by the environments in which they are used.

Some of the many important implantable devices that use PCBs as a central component are responsive neurostimulators (RNSs), which are implanted in the brain to treat epilepsy, producing electric shocks when abnormal activity is detected; implanted defibrillators, which help protect people from sudden trauma when they are predisposed to cardiac problems; and cochlear implants, which allow deaf people to process noises, improving their hearing.

Many of these implantable medical devices are life-changing for the patients who receive them. In several cases, they may even depend on them to stay alive and maintain their health.

How Circuits Central Can Help Develop and Manufacture Top-Quality PCBs for Emergency Medical Devices

If you are in the process of developing new medical equipment that requires a circuit board and you need PCB manufacturing, Circuits Central can ensure that you receive the highest quality boards possible to guarantee the effectiveness and reliability of your products.

We are a world-class electronics and PCB manufacturer, and we offer a full spectrum of PCB manufacturing services, such as material procurement, PCB layout design, prototyping, printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), post manufacturing testing, and more.

We have 25 years of experience in the industry and have worked closely on countless projects with all kinds of clients from various fields, including those developing commercial products, aerospace and defense devices, and medical devices.

No matter the demands of your project, our competent team of PCB experts can modify our approach to align with your needs and provide outcomes that meet and exceed your expectations.

We have a state-of-the-art PCB manufacturing facility and cutting-edge technology that allows us to produce PCBs of the highest quality. We also rigorously adhere to strict testing throughout, and follow the manufacturing process to ensure that our PCBs meet the highest standards.

For more information about how we can assist you with PCB manufacturing, or to learn more about some of the medical PCB projects we have worked on in the past, call Circuits Central at 1 (888) 602-7264 or contact us here.