Biomaterials are used in
prostheses and medical devices for different purposes. Polymers are the most
diverse class of biomaterials. All biomaterials must meet certain criteria and
regulatory requirements before they can be qualified for use in medical
applications. Biocompatibility is one of the most important requirements. Both
nondegradable polymers are designed to degrade in vivo in a controlled manner
over a predetermined time. The main mechanism of in vivo degradation of
polymers is ‘hydrolytic degradation’, in which enzymes may also play a role
(i.e. ‘enzymatic degradation’). Both natural e.g., collagen, and synthetic
e.g., poly(alpha-hydroxy) acids, biodegradable polymers are used in biomedical
applications. Many of the current polymers and processing techniques need to be
improved in order to produce polymers with better performance in biological
media. An important trend in related research and development is the synthesis
of novel polymers, which would exhibit improved biocompatibility, and be
bioresponsive.
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