Adjusting Degradation Profile of Highly Oriented Poly(L-lactic acid) Monofilaments to Match Healing Windows for Biodegradable Implants
摘要
The inability to meet the diverse tissue healing rates among patients has emerged as a substantial obstacle to the development of biodegradable medical implants. The key to overcoming the obstacle lies in tuning the mechanical degradation profile to align with the therapeutic healing window. This study develops highly oriented poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) monofilaments with adjustable degradation profiles by electron beam irradiation (EBI). The physicochemical properties, mechanical performance, and microstructure of PLLA monofilaments subjected to various EBI doses are systematically investigated through in vitro accelerated degradation experiments. Based on the Arrhenius relationship, this normalization establishes a consistent thermal reference point, facilitating clear visual evaluation of the accelerating effect of EBI on material degradation while ensuring alignment with human body temperature. These findings indicate that EBI reduces molecular weight and introduces microdefects at crystalline boundary regions, creating initiation sites for hydrolysis. Furthermore, an on-demand paradigm for aligning mechanical degradation profiles with clinical scenarios is proposed, ranging from long-term support to rapid failure. This approach is expected to tailor implant performance to individual needs, shifting design from passive selection to active adjustment and offering a versatile strategy for biodegradable implants.