Overview

Question 1

*What is the historical context of biomaterials?

Answer 1

The use of biomaterials in the body can be traced back over 2000 years for use in;
- Wooden tooth prostheses
- Glass eye replacements
- Gold used in dentistry
Significant developments took place in 20th century, starting with PMMA in dentistry in 1937. Found out by observing the mild inflammatory response evoked by shards of PMMA in injured aircrew during second world war.

Additionally, vascular prostheses were developed in 40s and 50s using parachute cloth and dacron. 60s saw development of Charnley hip replacement, and then term biomaterials came into use.

Question 2

What is the current extent of biomaterials use (in the US)?

Answer 2

Data from 2015:
- 300,000+ employees in the medical device industry
- 6500 registered medical device manufacturers
- Market for medical devices in $148 billion
- US represents 43% of the global market for biomaterials

Question 3

What subjects are integral to biomaterials and medical device development?

Answer 3

The development and manufacture of a medical device requires expertise in several areas:
- Toxicology
- Biocompatibility
- Healing
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Mechanical and performance requirements
- Industrial involvement
- Ethics
- Regulatory issues