When we or someone we know gets considerably ill, or suffers an accident, we rely on hospitals – or, more specifically, the doctors and nurses that work within those hospitals – to provide us with an accurate diagnosis of our ailment followed by adequate treatment for that ailment.
In order to give these accurate diagnoses and administer treatment, doctors often turn to the wealth of high-tech equipment the average hospital has at it’s disposal; MRI scanners, X-ray machines, CT scanners and so on. These complex machines require a lot of technology to be housed into a relatively small space, as well as needing to be reliable – both in the data they return and their ongoing operation – and durable.
Custom cables ensure that medical technology meets all of these requirements
What sort of cables are used?
Different equipment demands different cable solutions but there are a few common types of custom cables used across a range of medical machinery. Hybrid cables combining data, power and coaxial cables are frequently used in order to save space as well as enabling the machine to fulfill all of it’s functions.
Combining the functions of three cables into one single cable also reduces the amount of maintenance a machine will require over it’s operational lifetime, making the machine more reliable and allowing doctors to use it more often. Durability is also a key consideration when designing a medical cable.
A great deal of medical equipment features moving parts that can operate for extended periods of time, placing strain on cables and wearing them down over time. With adequate cable sheathing, however, a cable can withstand this constant flexing and deliver many years of reliable service. So how do these cables work in practice?
Recently, Custom Designed Cables was commissioned to design cables for use in MRI scanners. Producing a single cable for use in an MRI scanner provides somewhat of a challenge for a cable designer; not only does the cable need to power the machine, but it also needs to be able transmit complex data and provide a live video feed of the patient.
In addition to this, the cable also needs to withstand constant strain and flexing and perform its functions no matter what. After three years of intensive research, development and testing, we designed a composite cable combining the functions of data, power and coaxial cables, providing the equipment manufacturer with a cable solution built to last.
For more information on medical cables – or custom cables for any purpose – call Custom Designed Cables on 01204 658 784 or get in touch through our contact us page.