Super plastic helps mend failing hearts

A super plastic developed by NASA for a high-speed aerospace research program has become part of an implantable device to help heart failure patients. The plastic is biological inert and can be used in medical applications and for mechanical parts and composites to electrical insulation and adhesive bonding. Medtronic has incorporated the material into its recently approved" Attain Ability" left-heart lead, which is used to deliver energy from cardiac resynchronization therapy, or CRT. CRT coordinates and aids contracting of the heart's two lower chambers, which improves the heart's ability to increase blood blow to the body.