The Effect of pH on the Degradation of Biodegradable Poly(L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) 80/20 Urethral Stent Material In Vitro

Abstract Purpose: To investigate in vitro whether pH ranging between 6 and 9 has an effect on the degradation of stent fibers made of poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 80/20. Materials and Methods: The fibers were divided into three groups and immersed in sodium phosphate-buffered saline (Na-PBS) solution with three different pH values: 6, 7.4, and 9. The mechanical and thermal properties were studied, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were taken at specific time points of hydrolysis. Results: The tensile testing showed that the strength of the fibers decreased through hydrolysis and was lost at 8 weeks in all groups. The Tm and Tg of the PLGA fibers did not indicate any significant differences between the different groups. In SEM images taken at 4 weeks, there were no significant differences between the fibers immersed in Na-PBS solutions of different pH values. However, at 8 weeks the surface of the fiber immersed in saline with a pH of 6 seemed coarser than that of those immersed in neutr...