The polymeric biomaterials in clinical use today trace their history back to Dr. Leo Baekeland's synthesis of polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride (Bakelite), the first synthetic polymer, in 1907. This sentinel synthetic event, presented 100 years ago at the New York section meeting of the American Chemical Society in February 1909, was the stimulus that gave rise to the spectrum of thermoset, thermoplastic, and degradable polymers that improve human health and function today. Examples include poly(methylmethacrylate) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) bone cements, poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) contact lenses, polyethylene hip replacement liners, carboxyphenoxypropane/carboxyphenoxyhexane cancer drug delivery systems, nylon sutures, poly(ethylene terephthalate) arterial replacements, poly(tetrafluoroethylene) vein replacements, polyurethane scaffolds for chemical vapor deposition of bone replacement metals, and degradable tissue engineering scaffolds (poly(caprolactone fumarate), poly(dityrosyltyrosine carbonate), and poly(propylene fumarate)).  This presentation will highlight several of those materials that are in widespread clinical use, and others in development that promise to further improve peoples' quality of life in the future.

History of polymers in musculoskeletal medicine and tissue engineering

239th National Meeting (2010)

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