Designing multifunctional polymers for cardiovascular implants
Issue title: Selected Proceedings of the 16th Conference of the European Society for Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation (ESCHM), 18–21 June, 2011, Munich, Germany
Affiliations: Center for Biomaterial Development and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany
Note: [] Corresponding author: Andreas Lendlein, Center for Biomaterial Development and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Kantstrasse 55, 14513 Teltow, Germany. Tel.: +49 3328 352450; Fax: +49 3328 352452; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Polymer-based biomaterials are extensively used in all disciplines of clinical medicine and innovations in biomaterial science are building a product pipeline, e.g., of future cardiovascular implants. Still, cardiovascular applications demand a number of extensive requirements of properties and functions to be fulfilled by the polymer matrix. This report provides an overview on some of these issues and how they can be addressed by a tailored design of novel polymer-based biomaterials. Multifunctional shape-memory polymers are highlighted as a class of materials that combine biocompatibility and the capability for stimuli-induced active movements for anchoring of implants with a controlled degradation and drug release profile to enable a functional regeneration of the tissue at the application site.
