Prent Corporation, the world’s leading designer of medical packaging and the largest producer of medical thermoform packaging, walked home with three WorldStar awards from the World Packaging Organization 2007 competition in Athens, Greece.
The annual competition honors the best-of-the-best in packaging from consumer to industrial packages from around the world. To enter the competition, a package must have previously won a major packaging award.
WorldStars went to Prent Corporation for the C.R. Bard ReadyLink™ Delivery System; Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. MRI Tube Set package; and Enpath Medical Company’s Universal Catheter Tray.
REVOLUTIONIZING RADIOACTIVE IMPLANT DELIVERY
Prent’s thermoform package solution is now changing the way prostate cancer radiation therapy is delivered worldwide. Thanks to a sterile pewter case with inner plastic presentation trays, the new design for Bard ReadyLink™ safely presents delicate radioactive products to the surgeon in a safe, convenient and properly oriented manner.
Taking advantage of the rigid and resilient characteristics of plastic, the package is composed of 4 different trays that function as integrated workstation for the assembly, shipment, and dispensing of pre-dosed irradiation strands. This sterile container system holds, protects, and presents delicate radioactive components for brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer.
Formerly products were packaged in bulky containers which made it difficult for the surgeon to effectively access the product. This resulted in confusion during surgery, unnecessary radiation exposure to the surgeon and damage to the radioactive strands.
THE PACKAGE IS PART OF MEDICAL DEVICE
When Ethicon Endo-Surgery developed the MRI Tube Set for their suite of Mammotone breast care products, the challenge was to not only develop a package that would present the product to the end-user and attach snugly onto the MRI cart, but most importantly the package had to contain, manage and dispense 30 feet of tubing used to connect the MRI to a computer located in another room. In addition, the package had to be so simple the operator could intrinsically understand how to manipulate both ends of the tubing, dispense it with a free motion, and not worry about tangling or kinking the tube.
Prent’s innovative two-piece design is a great example of how “Package + Medical Device = Product.” It protects the product during transit, eases loading and dispensing of product, maintains the sterile barrier, plus fulfills all packaging and voice of the customer requirements. Modular tooling and semi-automated product loading provide additional cost savings for the end user. This multi-tasking two-piece package employs many innovative techniques in design and manufacturing, including multiple die cuts, undercuts, zero degree walls, and a unique zero flange trim.
VARIETY PACK OFFERS VERSATILITY
Prent’s design challenge was to contain and protect a variety of catheters and dilators used during surgery without the use of a retainer or protective tube. The product also needed to be highly visible and easily removed by a physician.
In the end, the design for the Universal Catheter Tray gave Enpath Medical, Inc. increased flexibility to use the tray for a variety of products, plus saved the company money.
The design solution utilizes die cuts to encapsulate the product, allows for size variations, enables easy identification and facilitates unlocking of the product. Undercuts secure the device handle and tubing; while five die cut fold-over flaps secure multiple sizes of catheters and dilators. To provide strength and durability, the package is made with recyclable .035 white high impact polystyrene with 10% modifier.