Design and in vivo assessment of polyester copolymers based on trimethylene carbonate and ε-caprolactone

ABSTRACT Poly(trimethylene carbonate‐co‐caprolactone) (PTCL) copolymers with various trimethylene carbonate ratios were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization and were used to prepare implants for an in vivo experiment. Medical silicone rubber was used as the control. Implants were prepared by compression molding with a laboratory instrument. The properties of these copolymer implants were investigated. PTCL implants and silicone rubbers were implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal region of New Zealand white rabbits. The assessment was performed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 months postoperatively by the determination of the weight loss, water uptake, thermal behavior, molecular weight of the explanted implants, and histological examination. During the 8‐month implantation, the value of maximum weight loss was found to be 25%. A continuous decrease in the molecular weight occurred. No remarkable tissue reactions were observed during degradation, and foreign‐body reactions were similar to those of silicone rubbers, which are commercially available materials. In this study, we aimed to indicate the likely clinical behavior but good biodegradable properties of PTCL copolymers compared to those of silicone rubber. This may open a new avenue of application for them in the drug industry. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41815.