
Leaders in the medical device industry are set to converge in California for a landmark international event. MD&M West 2025 takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center, with Alleima ready to showcase its cutting-edge contributions to the field.
The evolution of surgical systems
The past decade has seen significant advancements in minimally invasive surgery (MIS), driven by technological progress, increased demand due to demographic shifts, and the development of specialised surgical systems. For instance, GlobalData forecasts that the US minimally invasive neurosurgery market will experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.31% from 2018-2033 with an estimated value of $75.3m.
Alleima is renowned for its expertise in nitinol, an extraordinary alloy composed of nearly equal parts nickel and titanium. Celebrated for its super-elasticity and shape-memory properties, nitinol is essential in the development of devices for minimally invasive procedures. These properties enable the alloy to bend, stretch, and return to its original form – crucial for components used in flexible endoscopic and robotic instruments, guidewires, stone retrieval devices, and other intricate instruments and implants.
At MD&M West, Alleima will present a range of nitinol product samples at booth #1946, showcasing the material’s versatility and the company’s expertise in harnessing its unique properties. Through advanced processing capabilities such as grinding, braiding, shape-setting, and joining, Alleima engineers solutions tailored to specific medical needs. For example, braided nitinol wires combine flexibility with strength, making them ideal for implants and flexible instruments used in precise, minimally invasive procedures.
The ability to manipulate nitinol at a micro level allows medical devices to better navigate narrow anatomical structures and deliver greater performance and durability. This enables healthcare providers to offer safer, less invasive solutions for patients across a range of therapeutic areas. One of these is pulse field ablation (PFA), which has emerged as a promising development in recent years, offering speed, precision, and safety – heralding a new era in arrhythmia care.
Powering precision in modern medical therapies
Thermocouples are a critical component in many medical applications, enabling precise temperature measurement and control. They play a vital role in ensuring the success of therapies that rely on temperature-sensitive processes.
In oncology, for instance, thermocouples are used to monitor tissue temperatures during hyperthermia treatments, ensuring that tumours are effectively targeted while protecting surrounding healthy tissues. In critical care settings, they are integral to temperature-sensing catheters, offering continuous core body temperature monitoring that informs treatment decisions in real time. Respiratory therapies also rely on thermocouples to regulate the temperature of inhaled gases, ensuring patient safety and comfort.
Alleima’s thermocouples play a crucial role in cardiovascular applications such as advanced ablation therapies. In radiofrequency (RF) ablation, thermocouples enable precise temperature monitoring, ensuring effective tissue ablation while minimising the risk of overheating surrounding structures. Additionally, in renal denervation (RDN) procedures, a promising treatment for drug-resistant hypertension, accurate temperature control is essential for safely disrupting overactive renal nerves. Endometrial ablation, a minimally invasive treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding, also benefits from thermocouple technology, allowing for controlled energy delivery and improved patient outcomes.
Expertise in thermocouple wires
Alleima’s thermocouple wires are designed to meet the rigorous demands of medical environments. By combining precision engineering with high-quality materials, the company delivers reliable solutions for therapies that demand absolute accuracy and dependability.
In addition to its expertise in nitinol and thermocouples, Alleima excels in a broad spectrum of manufacturing capabilities, including advanced electroplating. This process applies a thin metallic coating to components, enhancing their strength, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility.
Alleima’s advanced electroplating capabilities include reel-to-reel plating for wires, as well as barrel and rack plating for small components, allowing for uniform coating even on intricate designs. These technologies enable medical devices to meet the precise standards required for regulatory approval while ensuring durability and performance in critical applications.
As a trusted partner to OEMs in the medical industry, Alleima offers the expertise, materials, and manufacturing capabilities needed to bring life-changing medical solutions to fruition. Alleima’s team of specialists will be on hand at MD&M West to discuss how its solutions can empower medical technology manufacturers to achieve new levels of innovation and precision.
For professionals keen to stay at the forefront of medical device development, a visit to Alleima’s booth #1946 promises to inspire and inform. By leveraging its broad range of processing capabilities and value-adding services, Alleima will continue to advance with its clients and shape the future of healthcare through advanced materials, engineering, and manufacturing.