HAMPTON ROADS, Va., July 11, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Burlington Medical, engineers of the highest quality and lightest weight radiation protection aprons in the industry, recently launched an advanced new core material for its Enviro-Lite® and Burlite™ products, made entirely in the U.S.
The new core material is 21% lighter than standard lead-vinyl and as much as 4 lbs. lighter than other protective materials on the market. The new and improved Enviro-Lite® and Burlite™ products will keep medical providers, including nurses, radiological technicians, dentists, and more, healthy, safe, comfortable, and supported all day long.
While lead as a protective material is the most effective at blocking radiation exposure, it's also the heaviest. Burlington created the new, lightweight product after many lead wearers requested a lighter option that's just as effective—and easier on the body.
"Anyone wearing a lead apron for 12 hours a day or more is carrying around a lot of extra weight," anywhere from 5 to 30 lbs., says Nathan Winnagle, director of engineering at Burlington Medical. "That's why there was such a push to find something other than lead for our products."
Many wearers experience musculoskeletal problems, including lower back pain, from extended wear time. For example, wearing a 15-lb. lead apron can place pressures of up to 300 lbs. per square inch on intervertebral disks. Fifty-two percent of radiologists report lower back pain, and research shows that wearers have an increased risk of back and neck problems, often resulting in health issues and requiring days off work.
Burlington Medical recognizes the importance of protecting customers from scatter radiation at work. When they wear a heavy apron all day, they are exhausted when they go home, which often negatively affects family time and quality of life. The older they get, the more of a toll it takes on the body.
Because Burlington's new core material is one of the lightest on the market—as low as 3 lbs., depending on garment size and bodyweight—it alleviates body pain and stress during long procedures. This also allows for greater flexibility and mobility in the workplace and better quality of life outside of work, too.
The advanced technology is the result of a composite made of four attenuating elements in fine powder form: antimony, lead, tungsten, and barium. These elements are encapsulated and distributed to be tough yet flexible and provide more efficient attenuation, or reduction in exposure to scatter radiation, in the range of 70-110 kV. With this combination of elements, the core material effectively protects the wearer when treating the tiniest to the largest of patients.
"When radiological techs and other medical professionals choose their radiation protection equipment, it's often based on attenuation and lead-equivalency levels," says Winnagle. "What they don't always talk about is that the raw material for the manufacturing process is not always as consistent every time. But this new material is proven to attenuate and achieve the lead equivalency we want, manufactured consistently to those specs all the time."
"It's a statistically proven process, yielding repeatable and reproducible results," adds Winnagle.
In summary, this new core material is a game-changer. It provides a radiation protection wearable that not only weighs less and protects better, but it is also manufactured consistently throughout the material. Plus, Enviro-Lite® is environmentally friendly and a frequent choice of green facilities.
Additional core material features include:
- Protection: 0.50mm Pb equivalence is 2-ply of 0.25mm; 0.35mm Pb equivalence is 2-ply of 0.175mm; 0.25mm Pb equivalence is 1-ply of 0.25mm
- Transmissions: 80 kV – 0.5mm: 2.1%; 0.35mm: 4.5%; 0.25mm: 8.2%
100 kV – 0.50mm: 6.2%; 0.35mm: 11.3%; 0.25mm: 17.9%
- Tolerances: -7%/+3%
- Available in: Aprons, vests, kilts, and other wearables
About Burlington Medical
Burlington Medical is an expert in the health and safety concerns of providers working in a radiation environment. From their in-person fitting services to industry-best lead times and cost-saving product options, Burlington Medical delivers superior outcomes with greater budget efficiency to all customers.
Burlington Medical is ISO9001 certified and follows all guidelines of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International). Burlington's 5-year warranty is the best in the industry, compared to most competitors at just two years. Burlington's quality products deliver more for the money, and with a registered nurse on the management team, Burlington brings an unparalleled level of insight and expertise to product development.
To learn more about Burlington Medical, their wholistic radiation protection, or their new core material, visit burmed.com/advanced-core-material.
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For more information, contact:
Stephanie Phillips
Senior Product Manager & Clinical Liaison
757-968-5849
[email protected]
SOURCE Burlington Medical
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