DEHP is a softening agent used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a type of plastic polymer found in various products. Without plasticizers, PVC is rigid and brittle at room temperature. To enhance its flexibility, a plasticizer is usually incorporated. DEHP is commonly used as a plasticizer in many PVC-based medical devices. Some of these devices include intravenous (IV) bags and tubing, umbilical artery catheters, blood bags and infusion tubing, feeding bags, nasogastric tubes, tubing for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedures, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) tubing, and other medical tubing.Daily life exposes everyone to small amounts of DEHP, but certain medical treatments can lead to higher exposure. DEHP can migrate from plastic medical devices into the solutions that contact them, with the extent of leaching depending on the temperature, the composition of the liquid, and how long it remains in contact with the plastic. Critically ill patients often undergo multiple procedures, increasing their exposure to DEHP.Research on laboratory animals has shown that DEHP exposure can lead to various harmful effects, particularly concerning the development of the male reproductive system and the normal production of sperm in young animals. DEHP stands for di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
