Recent Updates on Blood Purification: Use of Smart Polymer Materials

Blood purification is indispensable in addressing various conditions such as liver dysfunction, autoimmune diseases, and renal failure whereby toxins have to be cleared from the bloodstream effectively. Conventional methods that involve hemoperfusion, hemodialysis, and hemofiltration possess several weaknesses, including loss of plasma components and inefficient clearance of high molecular weight solutes. This review explores current developments in blood purification techniques particularly stimuli-responsive polymers for use in extracorporeal therapy among other applications. Many aspects of engineering stimuli-responsive polymers are described in terms of their role in the removal of small soluble molecules and toxins in blood purification techniques. The development of stimuli-responsive systems has introduced a new paradigm in blood purification by enabling selective, on-demand control of polymer parameters in response to external stimuli such as temperature, pH, electrolytes, and light. Such advanced materials have been demonstrated potential for toxin clearance, minimizing thrombosis, and improving blood compatibility and antifouling, which are far much better than traditional approaches. Furthermore, the review presents a perspective on stimuli-responsive polymers that could be used in developing novel extracorporeal systems for future medical purposes.