In vivo absorption, of lipids

Thermal analyses have been used for over 20 years to characterise heart-valve poppets (silicone elastomer) implanted into humans [29] and to evaluate the in vivo absorption of lipids and related compounds fix)m the body. Important deleterious effects on the implants, observed under in vivo conditions include changes in the hardness and mechanical properties, which appear to be associated with colour changes from white to yellow then brown. Because the thermal curves of the samples extracted from new and unused implants were almost identical, the differences were attributed to materials absorbed into the polymer matrix. Thermal analyses may therefore be useful in understanding the behaviour of these poppets in vivo. Table 1 shows the thermoanalytical data for new and used poppets, with those used poppets differing in terms of the extent extracted materials in vivo. 

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