Use of Polymers in Dialysis

6 Ophthalmic, Prostheses and Other Applications of Medical Polymers 

Plastic sutures (and supporting meshes) are, depending on the location of their application on or in the body, can be permanent or biodegradable in time with body fluids, and so additive and biocompatibility issues should be considered critically and carefully. 

Bone cements are vital to use in hip joint operations as a glue. It is polymerised in situ, from the monomer, when catalysts (usually benzoyl peroxide) and additives are all mixed together at the place of application (in the body, between the bones to be glued). Besides the slight increase of temperature locally (due to the exothermic polymerisation reaction), which is a discomfort certainly, there will be danger from remnants of monomer that are left, after the reaction, at the site of application in the body [23]. 

Lambert, F.W. Tang and WJ. Rogers, Polymers in Medical Applications, 2001, Rapra Review Report No.127, Volume 11, No.7. 

EN 30993-1, Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices-Guidance on Selection of Tests, 1994. 

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