Breakthrough Polymer Significantly Improves Safety of Implantable Medical Devices

Every year, millions of patients receive implantable cardiovascular devices such as arterial and venous catheters, pacemaker leads, artificial hearts, and vascular prostheses. These devices, typically made from polyurethane (PU), are essential for life-saving interventions but present several problems. PU production relies on toxic isocyanates and has been linked to serious complications, including blood clots and infections. These materials can trigger platelet adhesion, coagulation, and bacterial contamination—especially from staphylococcus aureus—raising the risk of implant failure and adverse reactions. To address these limitations, researchers have developed a safer, more biocompatible, and environmentally friendly alternative that could replace PU in many medical applications.

A scientific team from the Université de Liège (Liège, Belgium) has developed an innovative polymer called PHOx (Poly Hydroxy-Oxazolidone), a non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) elastomer designed for implantable medical devices. This invention is the subject of an international patent application. PHOx is a flexible, thermoplastic material that can be molded, pressed, spun into fibers, or even 3D printed. Its formulation is based on greener raw materials, including carbon dioxide, making the production process significantly less harmful to the environment. The design of PHOx aims to replicate the mechanical flexibility of PU while eliminating its toxic by-products. Because it can be easily shaped and 3D printed, PHOx is suitable for custom manufacturing of personalized devices tailored to each patient's anatomy, such as heart valves and vascular implants, reducing waste and production costs.

Extensive laboratory tests demonstrated PHOx’s superiority over PU in several performance areas. In findings published in the scientific journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, the new material showed more than 90% cell survival and no toxicity to human cells. It significantly reduced platelet adhesion and coagulation activation, thereby lowering the risk of blood clot formation. It also inhibited bacterial adhesion, reducing the chances of infection. Importantly, it did not provoke inflammation, degradation, or rejection after implantation. Thanks to its porous structure and stability, PHOx supports long-term integration in the body. Researchers believe this is the first time a NIPU material has achieved such promising results in critical medical settings. With further validation, PHOx could be widely adopted for safer, greener, and more economical medical device production, replacing PU in many clinical applications.

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