It’s a remarkable development – and it’s just one of many in the
works, often made possible by specialized plastics. Here are
some others on the horizon: Vaccination patches: Researchers are
developing a plastic skin patch that could replace many painful
injections. The patch contains plastic “micro-needles” that
dissolve into the skin, painlessly delivering vaccinations for a
variety of diseases, including the flu. Patients might even be
able to administer the vaccine themselves. Resorbable heart
stent: A plastic heart stent can open a clogged artery to
restore blood flow to the heart – and then slowly dissolve into
the body. This resorbable plastic could eliminate the need for
another invasive procedure to remove the stent, as well as
reduce the likelihood of blood clots and scarring. 3-D body part
printing: Researchers are using a layered assembly manufacturing
technique – called “3-D printing” – to create medical devices
and implants using plastics. For example, a type of plastic and
living cells are comb