Polymers In Medical Applications

Biosynthetic Polymers for Medical Applications provides the latest information on biopolymers, the polymers that have been produced from living organisms and are biodegradable in nature. These advanced materials are becoming increasingly important for medical applications due to their favorable properties, such as degradability and biocompatibility. This important book provides readers with a thorough review of the fundamentals of biosynthetic polymers and their applications. Part One covers the fundamentals of biosynthetic polymers for medical applications, while Part Two explores biosynthetic polymer coatings and surface modification. Subsequent sections discuss biosynthetic polymers for tissue engineering applications and how to conduct polymers for medical applications. Comprehensively covers all major medical applications of biosynthetic polymers Provides an overview of non-degradable and biodegradable biosynthetic polymers and their medical uses Presents a specific focus on coatings and surface modifications, biosynthetic hydrogels, particulate systems for gene and drug delivery, and conjugated conducting polymers

This chapter focuses on adhesives used in direct physiological contact in dental and medical procedures. Activity in both areas has been quite extensive outside the United States for decades. In contrast, adhesive use in medical devices, patches, and plasters has been ongoing in the United States for a long time. In the case of medical devices, adhesion is concerned with the joining of materials such as plastics, elastomers, textiles, metals, and ceramics, which are examined in other chapters of the present volume and are covered in various references [1–6], The coverage of this chapter is devoted to applications where to adhesives are in direct contact with tissues and other live organs.

The use of polymers in medical devices is growing at a steady rate. These materials are generally relatively cheap and versatile, qualities required in many bulk applications. In more specialised medical devices, polymeric components have been developed to meet challenging property and performance requirements. This review describes the process of developing polymeric products for medical applications from design requirements through to specific examples of medical devices and packaging. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database gives useful references for further reading.

Polymers from natural sources are particularly useful as biomaterials and in regenerative medicine, given their similarity to the extracellular matrix and other polymers in the human body. This important book reviews the wealth of research on both tried and promising new natural-based biomedical polymers, together with their applications as implantable biomaterials, controlled-release carriers or scaffolds for tissue engineering. The first part of the book reviews the sources, processing and properties of natural-based polymers for biomedical applications. Part two describes how the surfaces of polymer-based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality. The third part of the book discusses the use of natural-based polymers for biodegradable scaffolds and hydrogels in tissue engineering. Building on this foundation, Part four looks at the particular use of natural-gelling polymers for encapsulation, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The penultimate group of chapters reviews the use of natural-based polymers as delivery systems for drugs, hormones, enzymes and growth factors. The final part of the book summarises research on the key issue of biocompatibility. Natural-based polymers for biomedical applications is a standard reference for biomedical engineers, those studying and researching in this important area, and the medical community. Examines the sources, processing and properties of natural based polymers for biomedical applications Explains how the surfaces of polymer based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality Discusses the use of natural based polymers for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and in particular natural gelling polymers for encapsulation and regenerative medicine

The book provides an up-to-date overview of the diverse medical applications of advanced polymers. The book opens by presenting important background information on polymer chemistry and physicochemical characterization of polymers. This serves as essential scientific support for the subsequent chapters, each of which is devoted to the applications of polymers in a particular medical specialty. The coverage is broad, encompassing orthopedics, ophthalmology, tissue engineering, surgery, dentistry, oncology, drug delivery, nephrology, wound dressing and healing, and cardiology. The development of polymers that enhance the biocompatibility of blood-contacting medical devices and the incorporation of polymers within biosensors are also addressed. This book is an excellent guide to the recent advances in polymeric biomaterials and bridges the gap between the research literature and standard textbooks on the applications of polymers in medicine.

Polymers have generated considerable interest in a large number of technologically important fields such as human healthcare systems. Polymers represent a very important domain of materials and have become an integral part of day to day human life. Polymers exist in nature; they have been and continue to be an integral part of the universe. This book is intended for scientists and researchers to use in their research or in their professional practice in polymer chemistry and its biomedical applications. Multiple biological, synthetic and hybrid polymers are used for multiple medical applications. A wide range of different polymers are available, and they have the advantage to be tunable in physical, chemical and biological properties and in a wide range to match the requirements of specific applications. This book gives a brief overview about the introduction and developments of polymers for different applications. The biomedical polymers comprise not only bulk materials, but also coatings and pharmaceutical nano-carriers for drugs. The surface modification of the inorganic nanoparticles with a physically or chemically end-tethered polymer chain has been employed to overcome the problems associated with the polymers. Chemically attached polymer chains not only stabilize the inorganic nanoparticles, but also lead to photosensitivity, bioactivity, biocompatibility and pharmacological properties in the composites. Polymer encapsulated silica nanocomposites (mesoporous) have potential applications in different fields, such as optics, bio-catalysis, microelectronics bone tissue engineering, coatings cosmetics, inks, agriculture, drug release systems, diagnoses, enzyme imaging, temperature-responsive materials, and thermosensitive vehicles for cellular imaging. Polymer grafted nanosized particles are known to have excellent properties such as good dispersion ability in solvents and polymer matrices. Polymer-based controlled drug delivery systems have some specific advantages, such as improved efficiency and reduced toxicity. The incorporation of a thermoresponsive polymer layer often enhances protein absorption and specific biomolecular tagging through hydrogen bonding. As a result, the nanocomposite gets cleared from the body at a faster rate (blood residence becomes low). This book is composed of fourteen edited chapters; it is intended for scientists and researchers to use in their research or in their professional practice in polymer chemistry and its biomedical applications.

The utilization of polymers in medicine has become a reality in the last decade. This book is a concise presentation of the fundamentals, applications, and methods of optimization of polymeric drugs and polymeric drug delivery systems for medicinal purposes. The basic rationale for the use of polymeric drugs and polymer delivery systems is the possibility to alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic agents so as to maintain an adequate therapeutic environment at the site of disfunction for an extended period of time. The primary objectives for using polymeric drugs and polymeric drug delivery systems are to introduce new and efficient methods of drug administration, to improve efficacy and patient compliance, to decrease toxicity, and to ensure safety. The following factors influence the design and performance of polymers for medicinal applications: disease, drug properties, type of therapy (acute or chronic), physiology of the patient, administration route, and the site requiring therapy.

Polymers are important and attractive biomaterials for researchers and clinical applications due to the ease of tailoring their chemical, physical and biological properties for target devices. Due to this versatility they are rapidly replacing other classes of biomaterials such as ceramics or metals. As a result, the demand for biomedical polymers has grown exponentially and supports a diverse and highly monetized research community. Currently worth $1.2bn in 2009 (up from $650m in 2000), biomedical polymers are expected to achieve a CAGR of 9.8% until 2015, supporting a current research community of approximately 28,000+. Summarizing the main advances in biopolymer development of the last decades, this work systematically covers both the physical science and biomedical engineering of the multidisciplinary field. Coverage extends across synthesis, characterization, design consideration and biomedical applications. The work supports scientists researching the formulation of novel polymers with desirable physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties for specific targeted biomedical applications. Combines chemistry, biology and engineering for expert and appropriate integration of design and engineering of polymeric biomaterials Physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties alongside currently deployed clinical applications of specific biomaterials aids use as single source reference on field. 15+ case studies provides in-depth analysis of currently used polymeric biomaterials, aiding design considerations for the future