Expert Review of Medical Devices 

About: Expert Review of Medical Devices is an academic journal published by Informa. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Stent. It has an ISSN identifier of 1743-4440. Over the lifetime, 1645 publications have been published receiving 37819 citations.

Design properties of hydrogel tissue-engineering scaffolds

Abstract: This article summarizes the recent progress in the design and synthesis of hydrogels as tissue-engineering scaffolds. Hydrogels are attractive scaffolding materials owing to their highly swollen network structure, ability to encapsulate cells and bioactive molecules, and efficient mass transfer. Various polymers, including natural, synthetic and natural/synthetic hybrid polymers, have been used to make hydrogels via chemical or physical crosslinking. Recently, bioactive synthetic hydrogels have emerged as promising scaffolds because they can provide molecularly tailored biofunctions and adjustable mechanical properties, as well as an extracellular matrix-like microenvironment for cell growth and tissue formation. This article addresses various strategies that have been explored to design synthetic hydrogels with extracellular matrix-mimetic bioactive properties, such as cell adhesion, proteolytic degradation and growth factor-binding.

Antibacterial surfaces for biomedical devices.

Abstract: Despite considerable research and development efforts, the problem of infections related to biomedical devices and implants persists. Bacteria evidently can readily colonize surfaces of synthetic materials, such as those used for the fabrication of catheters, hip and knee implants, and many other devices. As the growing colony encapsulates itself with a protective exocellular bacterial polysaccharide layer, the biofilm becomes much harder to combat than circulating bacteria. Thus, there is a strong need to mitigate bacterial colonization by equipping the surfaces of biomedical devices and implants with features such as surface chemistry and surface roughness that are unfavorable for bacterial attachment. Here we review a number of strategies used for the design of antibacterial coatings. We also discuss specific issues that arise from using various types of coatings.

Sensory feedback in upper limb prosthetics.

Abstract: One of the challenges facing prosthetic designers and engineers is to restore the missing sensory function inherit to hand amputation. Several different techniques can be employed to provide amputees with sensory feedback: sensory substitution methods where the recorded stimulus is not only transferred to the amputee, but also translated to a different modality (modality-matched feedback), which transfers the stimulus without translation and direct neural stimulation, which interacts directly with peripheral afferent nerves. This paper presents an overview of the principal works and devices employed to provide upper limb amputees with sensory feedback. The focus is on sensory substitution and modality matched feedback; the principal features, advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are presented.

Brain–computer interface systems: progress and prospects

Abstract: Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems support communication through direct measures of neural activity without muscle activity. BCIs may provide the best and sometimes the only communication option for users disabled by the most severe neuromuscular disorders and may eventually become useful to less severely disabled and/or healthy individuals across a wide range of applications. This review discusses the structure and functions of BCI systems, clarifies terminology and addresses practical applications. Progress and opportunities in the field are also identified and explicated.

Bone reconstruction: from bioceramics to tissue engineering.

Abstract: Over the past 30 years, an enormous array of biomaterials proposed as ideal scaffolds for cell growth have emerged, yet few have demonstrated clinical efficacy. Biomaterials, regardless of whether they are permanent or biodegradable, naturally occurring or synthetic, need to be biocompatible, ideally osteoinductive, osteoconductive, integrative, porous and mechanically compatible with native bone to fulfill their desired role in bone tissue engineering. These materials provide cell anchorage sites, mechanical stability and structural guidance and in vivo, provide the interface to respond to physiologic and biologic changes as well as to remodel the extracellular matrix in order to integrate with the surrounding native tissue. Calcium phosphate ceramics and bioactive glasses were introduced more than 30 years ago as bone substitutes. These materials are considered bioactive as they bond to bone and enhance bone tissue formation. The bioactivity property has been attributed to the similarity between the surface composition and structure of bioactive materials, and the mineral phase of bone. The drawback in using bioactive glasses and calcium phosphate ceramics is that close proximity to the host bone is necessary to achieve osteoconduction. Even when this is achieved, new bone growth is often strictly limited because these materials are not osteoinductive in nature. Bone has a vast capacity for regeneration from cells with stem cell characteristics. Moreover, a number of different growth factors including bone morphogenetic proteins, have been demonstrated to stimulate bone growth, collagen synthesis and fracture repair both in vitro and in vivo. Attempts to develop a tissue-engineering scaffold with both osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity have included loading osteoinductive proteins and/or osteogenic cells on the traditional bioactive materials. Yet issues that must be considered for the effective application of bioceramics in the field of tissue engineering are the degree of bioresorption and the poor mechanical strength. The synthesis of a new generation of biomaterials that can specifically serve as tissue engineering scaffolds for drug and cell delivery is needed. Nanotechnology can provide an alternative way of processing porous bioceramics with high mechanical strength and enhanced bioactivity and resorbability.