Description

A key for the long-term survival and function of surgically implanted biomaterials is that they do not elicit a detrimental immune response. Biomaterials can have profound impacts on the host innate and adaptive immune system. The recent cases of clinical complications caused by metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty have demonstrated the potentially catastrophic consequences of problematic biomaterials in patients. Advanced implant design aims to make use of host immune response to improve implant integration, while also avoiding its perpetuation, which can lead to chronic inflammation and foreign body reactions that cause loss of the intended function. A comprehensive communication between material scientists, immunologists and surgeons will help to gain better understanding of host inflammatory responses to surgically implanted biomaterials. Thus it will benefit the design of new biomaterials by material scientists and better clinical success of surgical implants. The aim of this Research Topic is to provide a platform for comprehensive communication between biomaterial scientists and surgeons who perform the biomaterial implantations. The scope of the Research Topic is to cover the following areas: (1) Innate/adaptive immune response to biomaterials; (2) Inflammation of host tissue following biomaterial implantation; (3) Clinical outcomes/trials of biomaterials; (4) Case reports on (1) through (3). Specific topics will include, but are not limited to the following: (1) Reviews or minireviews on inflammatory/immune responses to applied biomaterials in surgery; (2) Basic/clinical research in this area; and (3) Clinical case reports that represent inflammation/immune response of host tissue against implanted biomaterials in surgery.