A bio-degradable material is one that is naturally broken down over a period of time and absorbed by the body.

 

Many applications for bio-degradable materials

Many bio-degradable materials are used these days in knee surgery. Examples include screws for fixing a cruciate ligament reconstruction, skin sutures and arrows for meniscal repair. There is considerable interest in developing bio-degradable scaffolds to support the growth of cellular sheets for joint cartilage and meniscus repair. Common bio-degradable materials include polyglycolic acid, poly-L lactic acid, poly-DL lactic acid, PGA/trimethylene carbonate copolymers, poly-p-dioxanone and poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid.

Synonyms: 
bioabsorbable
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Dr Sheila Strover (Editor)
BSc (Hons), MB BCh, MBA

See biography...