Poly(glycerol sebacate) biomaterial: synthesis and biomedical applications

The recently developed poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) has been gaining attraction as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. Reported in 2002, a simple polycondensation method was developed to synthesize PGS for soft tissue engineering applications. It has since become a highly sought after biomaterial due to its soft, robust and flexible characteristics and it is relatively low cost compared to other biodegradable elastomers currently available in the market. We summarise in this review, the various synthetic approaches of PGS and highlight selected applications in nerve guidance, soft tissue regeneration, vascular and myocardial tissue regeneration, blood vessel reconstruction, drug delivery, and the replacement of photoreceptor cells. A critical assessment of the material is provided as a scope for future improvement. The future outlook of this material is also provided at the end of this review.