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.

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 new book presents the authors’ biomedical studies of natural degradable biopolymers (polyhydroxyalkanoates [PHAs]) and discusses the demand for medical-grade materials and modern trends, focusing on the present status and future potential of PHAs. The authors present and summarize their most important results and findings obtained during the last few years in experimental studies and clinical trials of PHAs at the Institute of Biophysics Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science.

Medical Polymers 2003, the third international conference devoted to the use of polymers in the medical industry was held in Dublin, Ireland. The use of polymers in medical technology continues to grow and provides major business opportunities for companies who service the medical industry. Medical Polymers 2003 brought together speakers and delegates from the whole medical device supply chain to identify and address the challenges facing the industry. The conference began with a keynote presentation from the head of European and Regulatory Affairs at the Medical Devices Agency highlighting the many important regulatory issues now facing the industry. Following sessions covered new materials, latest product developments, compatibility of polymers, material advances, analysis and testing of medical polymers.

The history of plastics and medical devices traces a complex course of slowly evolving ideas punctuated by moments of intellectual revolution. When viewed from the vantage of retrospect, it becomes apparent that milestones in the progress of biomaterial science represent culminations of gradual shifts in theory and iterative experimentation. This has been as true for methodological developments in polymer chemistry as it has for technological breakthroughs in medical equipment design. The two disciplines, though now inextricable from one another, initially advanced along largely separate and occasionally redundant paths. Until the latter decades of the twentieth century, physicians and surgeons modified existing materials to create and refine devices according to their clinical needs while chemists and engineers synthesized materials de novo without specific attention to their potential medical applications. In the modern era, however, the lines between the chemical and biological sciences have blurred, paving way for an interdisciplinary approach toward the design and application of medical plastics.

Nanostructured Polymer Composites for Biomedical Applications addresses the challenges researchers face regarding the creation of nanostructured polymer composites that not only have superior performance and mechanical properties, but also have acceptable biological function. This book discusses current efforts to meet this challenge by discussing the multidisciplinary nature of nanostructured polymer composite biomaterials from various fields, including materials science, polymer science, biomedical engineering and biomedicine. This compilation of existing knowledge will lead to the generation of new terminology and definitions across individual disciplines. As such, this book will help researchers and engineers develop new products and devices for use in effective medical treatment. Summarizes the most recent strategies to develop nanostructured polymer composite biomaterials for biomedicine Outlines the major preparation and characterization techniques for a range of polymer nanocomposites used in biomedicine Explores the design of new types of nanostructured polymer composites for applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, gene therapy and bone replacement

Applications of Polymers and Plastics in Medical Devices: Design, Manufacture, and Performance is a comprehensive guide to plastic materials for medical devices, covering fundamentals, materials, applications and regulatory requirements. Sections cover the role of plastics in medical devices, socioeconomic factors, the classification of medical devices. The performance of, medical grades and suppliers of polymer materials, which are categorized by performance level are also explored, along with manufacturing processes for device components, including extrusion, casting, injection molding and assembly processes. The book then covers applications in detail, examining each device and the role that polymers and plastics play in its construction and function. This is an essential resource for engineers, R&D, and other professionals working on plastics for medical devices and those in the plastics industry, medical device manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, packaging and biotechnology. In an academic setting, this book is of interest to researchers and advanced students in medical plastics, plastics engineering, polymer science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and materials science. - Offers systematic coverage of the major classes of polymers used in medical devices, including properties, characteristics, performance, medical grades and suppliers - Reviews regulatory requirements of the FDA and other global agencies, as well as considering quality control and socioeconomic factors - Includes the latest advances in plastics for medical devices, such as novel applications, use of bio-based polymers, and processing of reusable medical devices

Comprises all of the original, complete articles related to biomedical applications of polymers found in the 19-volume Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering. Articles provide detailed information on properties, uses and methods of manufacture of polymers with biomedical applications. There are approximately 20 main entries, averaging 12,000 words in length, prepared by 30 leading authorities from industry, academia and research laboratories. Coverage includes drug delivery systems, prosthetic devices, contact lenses, medical packaging, dental applications, skin replacement and more, all supported by standards and specifications for materials.