Polymeric Prosthetic Systems for Site-Specifi c Drug Administration: Physical and Chemical Properties

Abstract

Polymeric materials having biomedical applications can be classifi ed into twomajor groups according to their use: those employed in prosthetic devices, suchas cardiovascular and orthopedic prostheses; and those employed as therapeuticsystems, such as drug carriers. Among prosthetic systems, polymeric materialscan be used as coatings or as cemented prostheses. Some of the major advantagesin using polymeric materials for biomedical applications are their fl exibility,biocompatibility, the possibility of tailoring their mechanical properties andtheir 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.