From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Biodegradable polymer
Biodegradable polymer
Biodegradable polymers are polymers that break down grow the entity into a functioning organ. The scaffolding
and lose their initial integrity. Biodegradable polymers should dissolve away and needs to be biocompatible.
are used in medical devices to avoid a second operation Another application involves the breakdown in land-
to remove them, or to gradually release a drug [1] fills after being strong during its useful lifetime.
TYPES OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS 1.
3-hydroxypropionic acid - The market for a bio-based
and biodegradable replacement for polyester is expected
Required Properties
to grow rapidly during the next five years. The bio-based Biodegradable polymers should be 1) non-toxic, 2) capa-
polyester, P(3-HP), has attractive mechanical properties, ble of maintaining good mechanical integrity until de-
such as rigidity, ductility, and exceptional tensile graded, and 3) capable of controlled rates of degradation.
strength in drawn films and can be created using the new A goal is not to illicit the immune response, and the prod-
lower toxicity method. On account of these properties, ucts of degradation also need to be non-toxic. With re-
P(3-HP) has applications in packaging or biodegradable gard to controlled degradation, is it possible to trigger
plastics. Some other examples of biodegradable polymer degradation?
is polylactic acid A goal is to control the rate at which water can get in-
to polymers. Factors controlling the rate of degradation
include: 1) percent crystallinity, 2) molecular weight, 3)
History hydrophobicity. The degradation rate depends on the lo-
First medical use : Catgut sutures cation in the body. The environment surrounding the
Biodegradable polymers were used in the times of the polymer is different depending on the location in the
Romans. One desired property of a suture is that it slowly body
degrades as the wound heals. The Romans used cat gut,
though this elicited a bad inflammatory response.
References
[1] http://www.devicelink.com/mpb/archive/98/03/
Applications 002.html Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers as
Applications of biodegradable polymers include sutures, Medical Devices. 1998
controlled drug release, and tissue engineering.
Biodegradable polymers also could be implemented in
drug delivery. The polymer slowly degrades into smaller
External links
fragments, releasing a natural product, and there is con- • polyketals
trolled ability to release a drug. The drug slowly releases • New emerging trends in synthetic biodegradable
as polymer degrades. polymers – Polylactide: A critique. European
Biodegradable polymers have been used to coat a Polymer Journal 2007 43 4053-4074
stent and release drugs in a controlled way. • [1]
A holy grail is to create organs, such as the kidney
from basic constituents. A scaffolding is necessary to
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Categories:
• Polymers
• Medicine stubs
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