Abstract
We have prepared new hydrogel from Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) which has rubber-like-elasticity. Its water content is 80-90 wt% resembling organic tissue. The purpose of this examination was to confirm the possibility of applying this PVA gel as an implantable medical material. It was implanted in a rabbit peritoneal cavity and in a dog pericardial cavity. After the excision, tensil elongation testing, dynamic Young's modules evaluation and stress relaxtion study were measured. Electrolytes were measured by the ionochromatography method. As the result of implantation during 3 to 18 months, the mechanical strength changed little and the elasticity was not lost. And the values of Mg2+ and Ca2+ were greater for gels in the rabbit than dogs, but they were extremely low. By these aspects, this new hydrogel can be used implantable biomaterial.
