[The future of biomaterials in urology]

The fields of application of implanted biomaterials will continue to grow, ranging from the use of catheters and slings for the genitourinary tract, to the production of tissues and organs. The scale of research has changed over recent years, passing from a macroscopic view to a microscopic view, resulting in a change from mechanical devices, such as prostheses, catheters and slings to the cellular unit and more particularly in vitro cell cultures. New techniques, such as gene therapy and cell reconstruction have been recently introduced into the field of urology. Prospective biocompatibility studies must be conducted to establish appropriate biocompatibility standards adapted to new materials. The development of these new materials required a multidisciplinary approach involving engineers, biologists and physicists. It must be conducted in specialized centres skilled in biocompatibility research and in close collaboration with a basic bioscience and clinical practice. In the future, synthetic biomaterials will have an almost unlimited range of mechanical properties allowing much more specific applications. Another improvement of materials will concern a reduction of the risk of infection, erosion, mineral deposits, migration of particles, secondary reactions, and finally improved durability. However, the long-term properties of synthetic materials will probably not be as good as those of natural or almost natural biomaterials derived from biotechnology by tissue engineering.