Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and thus fall under the polymer category. Every type of biomaterial can be categorized
as belonging to one of these four main classes. It is useful to know the types or classes of
materials and the basic properties they possess based on their molecular structure when
designing a new medical device. The current uses of the various types of biomaterials for
medical devices are shown in Table 5.1, and their mechanical properties are shown in
Table 5.2.
TABLE 5.1
Materials and Their Medical Uses
Class of Material
Current Uses
Metal
Stainless steel
Joint replacements, bone fracture fixation, heart valves, electrodes
Titanium and titanium alloys
Joint replacements, dental bridges and dental implants, coronary stents
Cobalt-chrome alloys
Joint replacements, bone fracture fixation
Gold
Dental fillings and crowns, electrodes
Silver
Pacemaker wires, suture materials, dental amalgams
Platinum
Electrodes, neural stimulation devices
Ceramics
Aluminum oxides
Hip implants, dental implants, cochlear replacement
Zirconia
Hip implants
Calcium phosphate
Bone graft substitutes, surface coatings on total joint replacements,
cell scaffolds
Calcium sulfate
Bone graft substitutes
Carbon
Heart valve coatings, orthopedic implants
Glass
Bone graft substitutes, fillers for dental materials
Polymers
Nylon
Surgical sutures, gastrointestinal segments, tracheal tubes
Silicone rubber
Finger joints, artificial skin, breast implants, intraocular lenses, catheters
Polyester
Resorbable sutures, fracture fixation, cell scaffolds, skin wound coverings,
drug delivery devices
Polyethylene (PE)
Hip and knee implants, artificial tendons and ligaments, synthetic vascular
grafts, dentures, and facial implants
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
Bone cement, intraocular lenses
Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
Tubing, facial prostheses
Natural Materials
Collagen and gelatin
Cosmetic surgery, wound dressings, tissue engineering cell scaffold
Cellulose
Drug delivery
