CONTENTS 1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................3 1.2 Technology Evolution of Absorbable/Biodegradable Polymers

as Materials.....................................................................................................4 1.2.1 Evolution of Natural Absorbable/Biodegradable

Polymers .............................................................................................4 1.2.2 Evolution of Synthetic Absorbable/Biodegradable

Polymers .............................................................................................5 1.2.2.1 Heterochain Ester-Based Absorbable Synthetic

Polymers...............................................................................6 1.2.2.2 Homochain Ester-Based Absorbable Synthetic

Polymers...............................................................................7 1.3 Evolving Applications and Pertinent Processing Methods of

Absorbable/Biodegradable Polymers ........................................................7 1.3.1 Extrudable Gel-Forming Implants .................................................8 1.3.2 Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering ....................................................8 1.3.3 Polyester/Peptide Ionic Conjugates ..............................................8 1.3.4 Enabling New Processing Methods ...............................................9

1.4 Conclusion and Perspective on the Future .............................................10 References ............................................................................................... 10

Egyptians sutured wounds as early as 3500 B.C. using a variety of natural polymers including treated intestines, which are the early versions of collagen-based surgical gut sutures.1 Synthetic, absorbable polyesters based on