Biomaterials – “Famous Successes”
In many instances, these traditional biomaterials have stood the test of time very well
Cobalt-Chrome and Ti alloys used in orthopedics/ arthroplasty Medical grade stainless steel
Various biodegradable sutures, pins etc Dacron fibre large bore vascular grafts UHMWPE wear liners on hip/ knee prostheses (when done properly!) – UHMWPE still the best Silicone elastomer – great biomaterial used in the right situation
Hard grades of polyether-based polyurethanes
In many cases, however, traditional implants (eg total artificial hips) have a maximum lifetime of approximately 15 years. This is a problem, given our “ageing population”.
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Late 90s – New biomaterials generation
– Large R&D funding injection – Opportunities for improved formulations
– Materials engineered from ground up
– Material-physiological interface studied more extensively – Much tighter control of
manufacture (GLP/ GMP protocols necessary)
– Longer lead times
– More expensive devices
– “Tissue Engineering” field is born and continues to define itself
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Biomaterials Today – accepted themes
– Protein adsorption
– Biospecific biomaterials – Nonfouling materials
– Healing and the foreign body reaction
– Controlled release – Tissue engineering – Regenerative medicine – “nanobiotechnology” – Biomimetics
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New Millennium – Exciting Possibilities!
– Empirical biomaterials science is being replaced by precision design and engineering
– Growing understanding at the cellular and molecular level of “Biocompatibility”
– Biomimetics – mimicing the brilliance and elegance of nature (spider silk, sea urchin spines, bone, coral fish teeth etc) – Nanotechnology, nanostructured biomaterials, “bottom up self assembly”, nanomaterials used for gene delivery etc – “Hybrid” artificial organs – synthetic biomaterials in combination with cells and regenerated natural tissue >> TE – “Intelligent materials”, shape memory, shrink, swell in response to environment
– Teamwork between many disciplines – no boundaries
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