Biodegradable Polyesters and their Applications

Written by: <Authors><Author><Id>3667</Id><Name>Supriya Pal</Name></Author></Authors>

Over the past few decades, several biodegradable polyestershave been extensively studied for a wide variety of pharmaceutical andbiomedical applications. The ester linkages of aliphatic and aliphatic-aromaticco-polyester can easily be cleaved by hydrolysis under alkaline, acid, orenzymatic catalysis. This feature makes polyester suitable for severalapplications, such as bioresorbable, bioabsorbable, environmentally degradableand recyclable polymers.


In bioresorbable implants such as orthopedic fixations orsutures, the devices are designed to slowly degrade in the body afterimplantation. Due to this reasons a second surgical intervation is notrequired for implant removal after healing. Polyesters and co-polyesters oflactic acid and glycolic acid are widely used in as bioresorbable sutures. Severalbiodegradable polymers, such as poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly (glycolic acid)(PGA), and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), have been used significantlyin pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Bioresorbable polymers findapplications in wound closer (sutures, staples), osteosynthetic materials(orthopedic fixation devices, pins, screw, rods, bone plates), cardiovascularsurgery (stents, grafts) and intestinal surgery (anastomosis rings). Bioresorbablepolymers also find applications as matrix materials for implanted drug releasedevices or drug-containing microspheres or microcapsules, drug deliveryvehicles, such as micro/nano-particles, micelles, hydrogels, and injectabledelivery systems.



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About the Author


The authoris Dy. Manager (TQM) at Shri Lakshmi Cotsyn Limited, UPSIDC Industrial Area,Malwan, Dist. Fatehpur, U.P.