Injectable non-leaching tissue-mimetic bottlebrush elastomers as an advanced platform for reconstructive surgery

Minimally invasive materials that match tissues mechanical properties are needed for biomedical applications. Here, the authors report on brush-like polymers which can be injected and cured in situ, resulting in elastomeric implants which mechanically blend with surrounding tissue and show minimal foreign body response. Current materials used in biomedical devices do not match tissue's mechanical properties and leach various chemicals into the body. These deficiencies pose significant health risks that are further exacerbated by invasive implantation procedures. Herein, we leverage the brush-like polymer architecture to design and administer minimally invasive injectable elastomers that cure in vivo into leachable-free implants with mechanical properties matching the surrounding tissue. This strategy allows tuning curing time from minutes to hours, which empowers a broad range of biomedical applications from rapid wound sealing to time-intensive reconstructive surgery. These injectable elastomers support in vitro cell proliferation, while also demonstrating in vivo implant integrity with a mild inflammatory response and minimal fibrotic encapsulation.