Melt blown Polymeric Nanofibers for Medical Applications- An Overview

Nanofibers or microfibers produced by either of the techniques are used in tissue restoration, compact organs, construction of biocompatible prostheses, cosmetics, face masks, bone substitutes, artificial blood vessels, and valves; and drug delivery applications [3]. Scaffold materials produced from nanofibers offer a very large surface area that supports cell growth [2]. Polymers such as Polyglycolide (PGA), Polylactic Acid (PLA), and their random copolymer Poly (Glycolide-co-lactide) are often used as the base materials for implant devices, such as suture fibers and scaffolds, for tissue engineering [4]. These materials meet several controlled-release criteria: they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and they can provide high efficiency in drug loading. Polycaprolactone (PCL) has been investigated mainly for long-term implants for drug release and support of mineralized tissue formation and may be a suitable substrate for the treatment of bone defects. An improvement in the mechanical properties of PCL has been achieved by copolymerization with PLA, enabling its use for orthopedic applications, such as the repair of bone defects. The ultimate goal of the novel modified nanofibrous scaffold design is the production of an ideal structure that can replace the natural Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) until host cells can repopulate and resynthesize a new natural matrix. Collagen in its native state is a natural substrate for cell attachment, growth, and differentiation.