Over the past few decades, several biodegradable polyesters have been extensively studied for a wide variety of pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. The ester linkages of aliphatic and aliphatic-aromatic co-polyester can easily be cleaved by hydrolysis under alkaline, acid, or enzymatic catalysis. This feature makes polyester suitable for several applications, such as bioresorbable, bioabsorbable, environmentally degradable and recyclable polymers.

In bioresorbable implants such as orthopedic fixations or sutures, the devices are designed to slowly degrade in the body after implantation. Due to this reasons a second surgical intervation is not required for implant removal after healing. Polyesters and co-polyesters of lactic acid and glycolic acid are widely used in as bioresorbable sutures. Several biodegradable polymers, such as poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly (glycolic acid) (PGA), and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), have been used significantly in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Bioresorbable polymers find applications in wound closer (sutures, staples), osteosynthetic materials (orthopedic fixation devices, pins, screw, rods, bone plates), cardiovascular surgery (stents, grafts) and intestinal surgery (anastomosis rings). Bioresorbable polymers also find applications as matrix materials for implanted drug release devices or drug-containing microspheres or microcapsules, drug delivery vehicles, such as micro/nano-particles, micelles, hydrogels, and injectable delivery systems.

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About the Author

The author is Dy. Manager (TQM) at Shri Lakshmi Cotsyn Limited, UPSIDC Industrial Area, Malwan, Dist. Fatehpur, U.P.