Polymeric Biomaterials : Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Applications, Volume 2

Biomaterials have had a major impact on the practice of contemporary medicine and patient care. Growing into a major interdisciplinary effort involving chemists, biologists, engineers, and physicians, biomaterials development has enabled the creation of high-quality devices, implants, and drug carriers with greater biocompatibility and biofunctionality. The fast-paced research and increasing interest in finding new and improved biocompatible or biodegradable polymers has provided a wealth of new information, transforming this edition of Polymeric Biomaterials into a two-volume set. This volume, Polymeric Biomaterials: Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Applications, contains 28 authoritative chapters written by experts from around the world. Contributors cover the following topics: Processing polymeric biomaterials into specific forms that ensure biocompatibility and biodegradability for use in various applications in the medical and pharmaceutical arenas Use of biomaterials to address medical issues such as pulmonary disease, cancer, heart disease, tissue damage, and bone disease Applications including a variety of drug delivery systems, medical devices, anticancer therapies, biological uses for hydrogels, nanotechnology, bioartificial organs, and tissue engineering Completely revised and expanded, this state-of-the-art reference presents recent developments in polymeric biomaterials and the most up-to-date applications of biomaterials in medicine.