Bioabsorbable materials in orthopaedics.

The applications of bioabsorbable implants in orthopaedic surgery have mainly been mandated from the need to eliminate implant removal operations. Although they have not gained widespread popularity among orthopaedic surgeons, they still represent an area of evolution. Considerable effort has been put into developing new bioabsorbable materials with fewer adverse effects. In this article an extensive review of the literature is presented emphasising on basic science and clinical applications of these materials. A review of the types of implants, the materials used, their biochemical properties, their adverse effects and some of the potential future applications is presented.