ABSTRACT
Although the earliest and most commercially signicant biodegradable polymeric biomaterials were originated from linear aliphatic polyesters such as polyglycolide, polylactide, poly(ε-caprolactone), and their copolymers from poly(α-hydroxyacetic acids) family, the subsequent introduction of several new synthetic and natural biodegradable polymeric biomaterials extends the domain beyond this family of simple aliphatic polyesters. ese relatively newer, commercially signicant biodegradable polymeric biomaterials include poly(orthoesters), polyanhydrides, polysaccharides, poly(ester-amides), tyrosinebased polyarylates or polyiminocarbonates or polycarbonates, poly(d,l-lactide-urethane), poly(βhydroxybutyrate), poly[bis(carboxylatophenoxy) phosphazene], poly(amino acids), pseudo-poly(amino acids), copolymers derived from amino acids and nonamino acids, and amino acid-based poly(ester amide)s and poly(ester urethane).
