Replacement of the knee meniscus by a porous polymer implant: a study in dogs.

Background: Meniscectomy will lead to articular cartilage degeneration in the long term. Therefore, the authors developed an implant to replace the native meniscus.

Hypothesis: The porous polymer meniscus implant develops into a neomeniscus and protects the cartilage from degeneration.

Uncatalyzed synthesis, thermal and mechanical properties of polyurethanes based on poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and 1,4-butane diisocyanate with uniform hard segment.

Polyurethanes based on poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) (750-2800 g/mol) and 1,4-butane diisocyanate (BDI) with different soft segment lengths and constant uniform hard segment length were synthesized in absence of catalysts for the production of a degradable meniscus scaffold. First the polyesterdiols were endcapped with BDI yielding a macrodiisocyanate with a minimal amount of side reactions and a functionality of 2.0.

Hydrogels for an accommodating intraocular lens. An explorative study.

In this study it was investigated whether hydrogels could be used for an accommodating lens. The requirements of such a hydrogels are a low modulus, high refractive index, transparency, and strength. Since conventional hydrogels do not possess this combination of properties, a novel preparation method and new polymers are introduced.

Tissue ingrowth and degradation of two biodegradable porous polymers with different porosities and pore sizes.

Commonly, spontaneous repair of lesions in the avascular zone of the knee meniscus does not occur. By implanting a porous polymer scaffold in a knee meniscus defect, the lesion is connected with the abundantly vascularized knee capsule and healing can be realized. Ingrowth of fibrovascular tissue and thus healing capacity depended on porosity, pore sizes and compression modulus of the implant.