Bioresorbable polymeric materials

From the view of applied science and science for industry , ideally a new design paradigm specifically for medical applications should be introduced, which would be applicable to biodegradable and bioresorbable polymeric materials. However, number of books and reviews available on the topic is currently extremely limited. This concept will not be discussed any further here as it is out of the scope of this book. This section will not cover any of the scientific and technological details but rather, will focus on explaining the general practices and methodologies which need to be observed in the biopolymer and medical device industries. 

Polymer chemical stracture can be tailored to control degradation behaviour, making them, under physiological conditions, bioinert or bioresorbable over a defined period. Polymer degradation is generally denoted by a deterioration in the functionality of the polymeric material caused by a change in its physical and/or chemical properties. In this chapter, the different degradation... 

A second application is the controlled release of the polymer. Here, we report two different examples. The first example is a bioabsorbable suture. A suture is defined as bioabsorbable in solid polymeric materials or devices if it can dissolve in body fluids without any polymer chain cleavage or molecular mass decrease. Another example is a water-soluble implant that undergoes slow dissolution in body fluids. A bioabsorbable polymer also can be bioresorbable if the dispersed macromolecules are excreted [6]), or it is a MD belonging at least to class 11b [4] but usually to class 111 (release a drug with an ancillary function or it is completely resorbable) [5],... 

To satisfy the requirements of biocompalibility and biodegradability, the materials used in medical and pharmaceutical fields for intravenous injection are generally characterized by polymeric NPs based on polyesters, which are biocompatible and biodegradable. In this chapter, we cover the most common bioresorbable polymer materials that are synthesized. Then, we discuss the methods adopted for the synthesis of NPs made of bioresorbable polymers. Finally, we present the most common applications of bioresorbable polymer NPs in medical and pharmaceutical fields and the hurdles involved in their use. 

Vert, M., Li, S. M. and Garreau, H. (1992) New insights on the degradation of bioresorbable polymeric devices based on lactic and glycolic acids, Clinical Materials, 10,3-8. 

Bioresorbable are solid polymeric materials and devices which show bulk degradation and further resorb in vivo i.e. polymers which are eliminated through natural pathways either because of simple filtration of degradation by-products or after their metaboUsation. 

Bioabsotbable ate solid polymeric materials or devices, which can dissolve in body fluids without any polymer chain cleavage or molecular mass decrease. For example, it is the case of slow dissolution of water-soluble implants in body fluids. A bioabsorbable polymer can be bioresorbable if the dispersed macromolecules are excreted. 

Li, S., 2008. In-vitro physicochemical test methods to evaluate the bioresorbability of polymeric biomaterials. In Buchanan, F. (Ed.), Degradation Rate of Bioresorbable Materials Prediction and Evaluation. Woodhead Publishing Ltd, Cambridge, pp. 117—144. 

---