Polymeric prosthetic systems for site-specific drug administration: Physical and chemical properties

MARIAN PARISI; VERÓNICA E. MANZANO; SABRINA FLOR; MARÍA H LISSARRAGUE; LAURA RIBBA; SILVIA LUCANGIOLI; DR. NORMA B. D'ACCORSO; SILVIA GOYANES

Handbook of Polymers for Pharmaceutical Technologies

Wiley Scrivener

Año: 2015; p. 369 - 412

Polymeric materials having biomedical applications can be classifi ed into two major groups according to their use: those employed in prosthetic devices, such as cardiovascular and orthopedic prostheses; and those employed as therapeutic systems, such as drug carriers. Among prosthetic systems, polymeric materials can be used as coatings or as cemented prostheses. Some of the major advantages in using polymeric materials for biomedical applications are their fl exibility, biocompatibility, the possibility of tailoring their mechanical properties and their ability to incorporate therapeutic agents into their matrix in order to allow drug administration at a specifi c site. Th e aim of this chapter is to summarize the uses and applications in the fi eld of medical devices, as well as to discuss the pharmaceutical, physical and chemical properties of two of the most popular biomedical polymers: poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyurethanes (PU). In particular, we will center our attention on their use as site-specifi c drug administration and their application in two great areas of prosthetic devices, bone tissue and cardiovascular engineering. We will also cover their use as diagnostics and in therapeutic treatment along with advances and future perspectives in these areas.