Parylene Coatings in Medical Devices and Implants: A Review

This paper reviews various aspects of parylene coatings in medical devices and industry and summarises the fabrication methods of parylene coatings and their potential medical applications. In medical industry, two major beneficial properties of parylene include excellent barrier qualities and inherent bio-compatibility and bio-stability. The need for a bio-compatible material with good surface characteristics is of paramount importance. The recent findings indicate the application of parylene coatings in several areas of medical industry such as surgical instruments, implants, medical devices, mandrels, and medical electronics. Parylene has been slowly introduced into the research market, and has found to be competitive for available materials in the market. A review of the literature was undertaken to identify the prospective use to determine whether parylene coatings can survive the needs in medical industry.