Evaluation of Novel Injectable Hydrogels

摘要

Researchers have begun to realize the potential benefits of treating intervertebral disc degeneration by replacing the nucleus pulposus alone. One of the material classes being studied for nucleus replacement is the hydrogel, a three-dimensional, hydrated polymer network. The development of an injectable hydrogel nucleus replacement would have important clinical consequences because it could be injected non-invasively using a needle. Aqueous solutions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), or PNIPAAm, have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) between room and body temperature, making it suitable for an injectable implant material. Aqueous polymer solutions could be injected as a free flowing liquid at 25℃ and solidify to a gel within the body at 37℃.