The development of novel materials for medical devices

Abstract

Healthcare consumers continue to demand ever more complex devices for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. The development of novel medical devices was traditionally left to surgeon-scientists, who encountered patient suffering and developed medical devices using materials that were available in their local communities and that seemed to exhibit properties suitable for the desired function. Today, the medical device industry increasingly relies on knowledge of materials science and engineering to develop sophisticated replacements for natural tissues. For example, the $3.2 billion cardiac stent market has expanded over the past decade due to the development of fl exible polymer balloon catheters that expand obstructed blood vessels; metallic wire meshes that provide structural support to blood vessels; and biodegradable polymers that release antiproliferative pharmacologic agents in order to minimize closure (restenosis) of blood vessels. The medical device industry accounts for nearly $100 billion in revenues, and is expected to increase over the coming decades. Signifi cant strides are being made in the development of novel materials for use in medical devices. Advances in medical devices and prostheses were made during and after World War II. Biologically inert metals, ceramics, The Development of Novel Materials for Medical Devices