Biocompatibility of Silicones

Kristensen, B. W. Noraberg, J. Thiebaud, R Koudelka-Hep, M. Zimmer, J. Biocompatibility of silicon-based arrays of electrodes coupled to organotypic hippocampal brain slice cultures. Brain Res. 2001, 896, 1-17. 

SAN 98] SANTAVIRTA S., TAKAGI M., NORDSLETTEN L., ANTTILA A., LAPPALAINEN R. and KONTTINEN Y.T., Biocompatibility of silicon carbide in colony formation test in vitro. A promising new ceramic THR implant coating material , Arch. Orthop. Trauma. Surg, vol. 118,1998. 

Maturri L, Azzolini A, Campiglio GL, Tardito E. Are synthetic prostheses really inert Preliminary results of a study on the biocompatibility of Dacron vascular prostheses and silicone skin expanders. Int Surg 1991 76(2) 115-18. 

Despite of the silicon breast implant campaign which is a serious issue in the United States but evidently not in the rest of the world, the above statement on the environmental impact of silicones is also applicable to the impact on health of silicon medical devices and silicon implants, which are daily used in hospitals worldwide due to their excellent biocompatibility to human tissue and blood [11-13] There is also a long lasting experience clinically documented over decades on their reliability in specific applications. 

Biocompatibility and Mechanical Properties. Currently, their are no suitable artificial materials for the prosthetic replacement of articular cartilage. The biocompatibility is considered the primary criterion in the selection of such a material. In a recent study, Furst and co-workers(10) compared the biocompatibility of the polyurethane to the well known medical grade silicone polymer. The tissue reactions to small polymer discs, inserted in an articulating space—the suprapatellar bursa of rabbits, was examined. The foreign body reaction of the tissue at the implantation site was evaluated at intervals of 7 days,... 

At the low concentrations 5-10 % silicone, the blend is reported to retain much of its thermoplasticity and processability. This silicone semi-IPN reportedly improves the lubricity, wear and biocompatibility of polyamide as well as reducing the shrinkage and warpage although... 

Elastomers of silicone are widely used as biomaterials. In general, silicone elastomers have excellent biocompatibility, inducing only a limited inflammatory response following implantation. In fact, until very recently, it was assumed that silicones were almost completely inert in biological systems. It is now known, however, that certain silicone polymers can provoke inflammatory and immune responses. The biological response to implanted silicone, and the variability of that response among individuals, is the subject of considerable debate and interest. 

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