Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Additives To Control Mechanical Properties And Drug Delivery Of Injectable Polymeric Scaffolds, Paul Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

In situ forming implants (ISIs) are popular due to their ease of use and local drug delivery potential, but they suffer from high initial drug burst, and release behavior is tied closely to solvent exchange and polymer properties. Additionally, such systems are traditionally viewed purely as drug delivery devices rather than potential scaffold materials due to their poor mechanical properties and minimal porosity. The aim of this research was to develop an injectable ISI with drug release, mechanical, and microstructural properties controlled by micro- and nanoparticle additives.

First, an injectable ISI was developed with appropriate drug release kinetics for orthopedic …