Preparation of porous structures with shape memory properties from biodegradable polymeric networks

Preparing porous biodegradable structures from shape memory polymers can combine the structure-defining properties of porous structures with the minimally invasive implanting possibilities of shape memory polymers. In this study, porous biodegradable shape memory structures were prepared using photo-crosslinked networks based on poly(D,L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate). The characteristic shape memory properties of the structures, such as their shape fixity at a low temperature of 0 oC and their full shape recovery upon heating to physiological temperatures, were excellent. This makes these biodegradable and biocompatible structures very well-suited for use as self-deploying implants in medical applications like tissue engineering, drug delivery and the support of soft tissues