Phthalates are a group of chemicals used as plasticisers in the manufacturing of flexible, plastic medical products. A recent study found that patients can be exposed to high phthalate levels during invasive procedures such as cardiopulmonary bypass, dialysis and transfusion procedures by coming into direct contact with various plastic medical devices. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), is the most commonly used plasticiser in FDA-approved medical devices and can be found in blood storage bags, tubing circuits and catheters.
For more information:
Jaimes, R., McCullough, D., Siegel, B., Swift, L., McInerney, D., Hiebert, J., Perez-Alday, E., Trenor, B., Sheng, J., Saiz, J., Tereshchenko, L. and Posnack, N. (2019). Plasticizer Interaction With the Heart. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 12(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.119.007294