title: Biodegradable, elastic shape-memory polymers for potential biomedical applications.
abstract: The introduction of biodegradable implant materials as well as minimally invasive surgical procedures in medicine has substantially improved health care within the past few decades. This report describes a group of degradable thermoplastic polymers that are able to change their shape after an increase in temperature. Their shape-memory capability enables bulky implants to be placed in the body through small incisions or to perform complex mechanical deformations automatically. A smart degradable suture was created to illustrate the potential of these shape-memory thermoplastics in biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: mnemoScience GmbH, Pauwelsstrabetae 19, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. a.lendlein@mnemoscience.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lendlein
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Langer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D004548:Elasticity; D020724:Elastomers; D017953:Isocyanates / Q000737:chemistry; D019563:Mechanics; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D051381:Rats; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013537:Sutures; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: C459089:2,2,4-trimethylhexanediisocyanate; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004146:Dioxanes; D020724:Elastomers; D017953:Isocyanates; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; C016240:polycaprolactone; C079733:poly-4-dioxan-2-one