Use of organ cultures to evaluate biodegradation of polymer implant materials

An in vitro organ culture method was developed for the study of biodegradation of surgical implant materials. This method gives valuable information in less than 24 hr in the case of rapidly biodegradable materials such as poly(lactic acids) and poly(alkyl 2-cyanoacrylates). These data correlate well with the results of long-term in-vivo implantation studies. The organ culture technique can be used for the study of metabolism of polymers including the formation of volatile metabolites during biological degradation. Finally, histological and electron microscopic studies of the exposed organ slices can give indication of the formation of toxic metabolites during the biological degradation process.