Besides their use as packaging materials, biodegradable polymers can play a major role in tissue engineering as three-dimensional porous structures (scaffolds). The success of these biodegradable scaffolds is, however, determined by the response it elicits from the surrounding biological environment and this response is governed, to a large extent, by the surface characteristics of the scaffold. Multiple approaches have been developed to obtain the desired surface properties, however, in the past decade, the use of non-thermal plasmas for selective surface modification has been a rapidly growing research field. This paper therefore presents a critical overview on recent advances in plasma-assisted surface modification of biodegradable polymers.

Plasma Surface Modification of Biodegradable Polymers: A Review

Background—Long-term patency of conventional synthetic grafts is unsatisfactory below a 6-mm internal diameter. Poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) is a promising biodegradable polymer with a longer degradation time. We aimed to evaluate in vivo healing and degradation characteristics of small-diameter vascular grafts made of PCL nanofibers compared with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts. Methods and Results—We prepared 2-mm–internal diameter grafts by electrospinning using PCL (Mn=80 000 g/mol). Either PCL (n=15) or ePTFE (n=15) grafts were implanted into 30 rats. Rats were followed up for 24 weeks. At the conclusion of the follow-up period, patency and structural integrity were evaluated by digital subtraction angiography. The abdominal aorta, including the graft, was harvested and investigated under light microscopy. Endothelial coverage, neointima formation, and transmural cellular ingrowth were measured by computed histomorphometry. All animals survived until the end of follow-up, and all grafts...

Degradation and Healing Characteristics of Small-Diameter Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Vascular Grafts in the Rat Systemic Arterial Circulation

The aim of this study was to prepare non-woven materials from a biodegradable polymer, poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) by electrospinning. PCL was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of e-caprola...

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/11738410.pdf

In vitro and in vivo degradation of non-woven materials made of poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning under different conditions

In vivo biocompatibilty and degradation behavior of elastic poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) scaffolds

This article reviews various methods of synthesizing polycondensation and ring-opening polymerization and modifying properties of polylactic acid (PLA), which may be used as biomaterials, such as a drug carrier in a drug delivery system, as a cell scaffold and suture in tissue engineering, and as packaging materials in packaging engineering field. Copolymerization of lactide with other monomers or polymers such as malic acid, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyglycolic acid (PGA), or dextran, as well as blending polylactide with natural derivatives and other methods of modification are discussed. Surface modifications of PLA-type copolymers, such as surface coating, chemical modification, and plasma treatment are described.

Haitao Qian

Papers

Synthesis, characterization and degradation of ABA block copolymer of l-lactide and ε-caprolactone