25 - Biomedical Engineers and Artificial Organs
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Description
In this final lecture, Professor Saltzman talks about artificial organs, with a stress on synthetic biomaterials. First, the body's responses (immunological and scar healing responses) to foreign materials are introduced. This leads to discussion of different types of polymer/plastic materials (i.e., Dacron and GORE-TEX) and their properties. Next, Professor Saltzman talks about the design and function of some artificial organs, such as lens implants, heart valves and vessels, hip, dialyzer, heart/lung bypass machine, and the artificial heart. Lastly, challenges and areas for improvement in the field are presented.
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