A Quest for the Holy Grail of Bioimplants - A Review of Recent Developments in Biodegradable Metals for Medical Applications

The review describes recent developments in the research and patents on biodegradable materials for medical applications. The paper describes existing biodegradable materials, and focuses on the challenges the bioabsorbable metals (Fe and Mg) face before they become commercially available. The means to change corrosion rates of Fe and Mg alloys in the human body are discussed. The most relevant recent patents which address the challenges of very high degradation rates of Mg are reviewed. The paper also reviews the new trends and guidelines in research studies of bioabsorbable metallic implants. A short section briefly describing permanent implants and their applications is also included.