Biomedical applications biodegradable polyesters

Fatty acid based biodegradable polymers have many biomedical applications. This short review focuses on controlled drug delivery using two classes of the polymers polyanhydrides and polyesters based on fatty acids as drug carriers. Different polymer types and compositions are summarized showing the potential of these polymers as drug carriers. 

Aliphatic polyesters (such as PLA, polyglycolic acid and their copolymers) are the most important class of biocompatible polymers used in biomedical applications. This class of polymers has shown superior properties over conventional polymers, such as excellent biocompatibility, biodegradation, and thermal, physical and mechanical properties, which make them suitable for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering [19-21]. 

Poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) is a biodegradable and bioresorbable polyester widely used in biomedical applications. It was first introduced as a material for bioresorbable sutures in the 1970s. PGA has good mechanical strength and a predictable bio-resorbability (i.e., PGA monofilament sutures can be absorbed in the body in about 2—4 weeks depending on their hydrophilic nature), which is a desirable property for... 

After discussing the synthesis and the processing of biodegradable polyesters in the previous sections, herein, their applications will be reviewed. Biomedical applications and their use in packaging materials constitute the major application areas. However, the use of biodegradable polyesters is not limited to these research fields as will become clear in the upcoming section. 

Electrospun Scaffolds of Biodegradable Polyesters Manufacturing and Biomedical Application... 

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