Smart magnetocaloric coatings for implants: Controlled drug release for targeted delivery

Among the medical applications of the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) a technology of targeted drug delivery (TDD) is of great interest. The remote, noninvasive drug delivery to human organs or tissues is one of the actual challenges at present. Delivery devices, which provide a controlled, reproducible and reliable drug release, can have a significant impact on the treatment of different diseases. An ideal device for the fast drug delivery should contain a great amount of medication, should not practically release the drug in the off state, be able to repeatedly switch to the on state without mechanical damage, not require the implanted electronics, and be able to release a controlled dose of drug as stated in the physician’s prescription. This paper describes a composite material to coat implants and other drug carriers, which enables to control the quantity and the period of medication release. The paper also offers the results of thermodynamic model’s analysis of these medical devices based on the properties of ‘polymer/magnetic material’ composite systems. The results of magnetic and nonmagnetic nanoparticles deposition on the fragments of abdominal meshes are also presented.