Clinical and surgical aspects of medical materials’ biocompatibility

Abstract Biomaterial is defined as a substance other than a drug, which is developed as a whole or part of a complex system, that interacts with the living organisms, and functions for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. They are widely used in clinics and surgery applications to repair the damaged tissue. Orthopedics diseases, cardiovascular diseases, general and reconstructive surgery procedures dominate the category of disciplines in medicine, where biomaterials are occasionally used. Besides, biomaterials have been widely used in dental procedures, ocular diseases, urological diseases, and wound healing therapies. The term biocompatibility, which defines the ability of a material to perform its function in a specific application with an acceptable host response, has been the cornerstone of investigations in biomaterial researches. It refers to the interaction between biomaterials and living systems, related with an acceptable harm to the organism. In other words, biocompatibility reflects a set of characteristics to use a material safely in a living organism. Briefly, there are three major biological responses that need to be considered for biocompatibility assessment of a biomaterial including inflammation, wound healing, and immunological reactions and/or immunity. Biocompatibility assessment involves various methods including complex in vitro and in vivo experiments, standardized by various organizations such as American Society for Testing and Materials, the British Standards Institute, the International Standards Institute, and the Food and Drug Agency.