Development of polyurethanes for bone repair

- Current state of art in the area of bone tissue repair with the use of polyurethanes is outlined.
- Various possibilities to control the biodegradability of polyurethanes are described.
- Specific importance is placed on different modifications to increase PUR bioactivity.
- Possibility of using PUR as a model to determine cell behavior towards materials with various properties is discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to review recent developments on polyurethanes aimed at the design, synthesis, modifications, and biological properties in the field of bone tissue engineering. Different polyurethane systems are presented and discussed in terms of biodegradation, biocompatibility and bioactivity. A comprehensive discussion is provided of the influence of hard to soft segments ratio, catalysts, stiffness and hydrophilicity of polyurethanes. Interaction with various cells, behavior in vivo and current strategies in enhancing bioactivity of polyurethanes are described. The discussion on the incorporation of biomolecules and growth factors, surface modifications, and obtaining polyurethane-ceramics composites strategies is held. The main emphasis is placed on the progress of polyurethane applications in bone regeneration, including bone void fillers, shape memory scaffolds, and drug carrier.

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