Past, present and future role of polyurethanes for surgical implants

Abstract

Polyurethanes, which were once thought to be unstable when used in the body, are now occupying a dominant place in the armamentarium of the biomedical researcher. This paper discusses the history of this class of biomaterials, its chemical structure relevant to long-term surgical implants, physiological acceptability based on standard animal tests, the effects of some modifications, and possible areas of future developments with promising but yet untested formulations.