Radiopaque poly( -caprolactone) as additive for X-ray imaging of temporary implantable medical devicesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: FT-IR spectra of TIBA and TIBC; 1H NMR spectrum of TIBC; 1H NMR spectrum of PCL-TIB3.5; thermograms of PCL-I10 and PCL-TIB3.5; in vitro X-ray images of PCL-TIB/PCL films; dogbone-style tensile specimens used for tensile tests; binary X-ray images of PCL-TIB/PLA50-b-PEG-b-PLA50 blends. See DOI: 10.1039/c5ra19488a

• Main Authors: Samuel, Rémi, Girard, Edouard, Chagnon, Grégory, Dejean, Stéphane, Favier, Denis, Coudane, Jean, Nottelet, Benjamin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra19488a

Implantable polymeric medical devices suffer from a lack of visibility under current clinical imaging techniques. To circumvent this problem, poly( -caprolactone- co -α-triiodobenzoate- -caprolactone)s (PCL-TIB) containing from 3.5% to 24% of triiodobenzoate- -caprolactone units were synthesized as new X-ray macromolecular contrast agents. Physico-chemical and thermal properties of PCL-TIBs were evaluated by 1 H NMR, SEC, DSC and TGA. Their potential as radio-opacifying additive for medical devices was evaluated by preparing polymeric blends of PCL-TIB with various (co)polyesters. At first, in vitro X-ray visibility of PCL/PCL-TIB blends was evaluated. A more in depth characterization was then carried out based on PCL/PLA 50 -PEG-PLA 50 blends. The impact of PCL-TIB content on the mechanical properties of blends was evaluated by tensile tests. Stability of X-ray visibility was evaluated by ex vivo implantation of non-degraded blends and of blends degraded for 6 weeks in vitro . Finally, cytocompatibility was assessed by evaluating the proliferation of L929 fibroblasts on the blends. A family of radiopaque PCL, poly( -caprolactone- co -α-triiodobenzoate- -caprolactone), has been designed, used and evaluated as macromolecular contrast agent for X-ray imaging of implantable polymeric biomaterials.