Chapter category: BioMaterials
Developments in Design and Synthesis of Biostable Polyurethanes
Biomedical Applications of Polyurethanes
Edited by: Patrick VermetteISBN: 1-58706-023-X
» Get more information about this book at landesbioscience.com «
Chapter authors:
Pathiraja A. Gunatillake, Gordon F. Meijs, and Simon J. McCarthy
Synthetic elastomers are frequently the materials of choice for the construction ofimplantable medical device componentry. To function effectively, the chemical and mechanical properties of the polymer must be suitable for the intended application. The polymer must also have characteristics that impart good biological compatibility with the surrounding environment. In the case of long–term implants, this includes resistance to premature failure or degradation by mechanical or chemical means.
The attractiveness of polyurethanes for medical implants is largely due to their excellent mechanical properties (Chapter 1) and relatively good processability. They exhibit high tensile strength and elongation, excellent tear strength and abrasion resistance. Their chemical make–up also offers substantial opportunities for synthetic polymer chemists to tailor structure to meet specific property requirements.1–5
The use of polyurethanes for medical implants was first suggested by Boretos and Pierce in 1967.6 Since their introduction many different polyurethanes have been evaluated for their stability in the biological environment using both in vitro and in vivo test procedures (Chapter 5). It is now known that many polyurethanes degrade in the biological environment.7–10 Many interrelated factors influence the biostability of polyurethanes. These factors include chemical structure and associated polyurethane morphology, mechanical properties, manufacturing, processing and fabrication conditions, and implantation procedures and device specific factors.7 The chemical composition is a key determinant of biostability.
Additional chapters from this book:
The Future of Polyurethanes
Robert Guidoin and Hans J. Griesser
Where would implantology and the biomedical devices industry be today if it were not for synthetic polymeric biomaterials such as polyurethanes? While "natural" biopolymers such as reconstitut...
Biomedical Applications of Polyurethanes
Mylène Bergeron, Stéphane Lévesque, and Robert Guidoin
Polyurethanes (PUs) represent a very broad family of polymers. They have earned an enviable and irreplaceable position within the medical industry. The applications of PUs are limitless. Ho...
Surface Modification of Polyurethanes
Hans J. Griesser
Why perform surface modification of polyurethanes (PUs) when numerous publications and patents claim "biocompatible" and "blood compatible" PUs? The simple answer is that some claims are exagg...
Developments in Design and Synthesis of Biostable Polyurethanes
Pathiraja A. Gunatillake, Gordon F. Meijs, and Simon J. McCarthy
Synthetic elastomers are frequently the materials of choice for the construction ofimplantable medical device componentry. To function effectively, the chemical and mechanical properties of...
Biomedical Degradation of Polyurethanes
Patrick Vermette, Stéphane Lévesque, and Hans J. G
As discussed in the preceding Chapter, polyurethanes (PUs) generally show relatively acceptable biological responses, which have frequently led to statements that they are biocompatible. Ho...
Biocompatibility of Polyurethanes
Yves Marois and Robert Guidoin
In the last 50 years, the development and the conception of biomaterials used for the construction of prostheses and medical devices has expanded very rapidly. A wide variety of biomaterial...
Additives in Biomedical Polyurethanes
Nathalie Dubé, Sahar Al–Malaika, Gaétan Laroche, and Patrick Vermette
In the preceding Chapter, industrial production of polyurethanes (PUs) was covered. The main industrial processes and sterilization techniques that apply to biomedical polyurethanes were discu...
Commercial Production of Polyurethanes
Stéphane Lévesque, Denis Rodrigue, Patrick Vermette, and Pathiraja Gunatillake
As discussed in the preceding Chapter, polyurethanes (PUs) involve relatively complexchemistry and synthesis procedures compared to other conventional polymers used in biomedical applications....
Synthesis, Physicochemical and Surface Characteristics of Polyurethanes
Martin Castonguay, Jeffrey T. Koberstein, Ze Zhang, and Gaétan Laroche
This Chapter constitutes the starting point that will bring the reader to the other subjects discussed in this book as, for example, the biological response and biostability related to polyure...
