Biomedical engineering is increasingly becoming very important also in neurosurgery. This article describes some examples of neurosurgical applications of biomaterials which play a central role in biomedical engineering. Since a large number of biomaterials are currently used in neurosurgery, only the biomaterials that have been developed in our laboratories in collaboration with neurosurgeons are briefly presented here.
The biomaterials developed include devices used for interventional neurosurgery and bioabsorbable scaffolds for regeneration of dura mater and skull bone. We developed an immediately electrically detachable coil using a poly(vinyl alcohol) junction between the coil and the delivery wire. This is the first detachable coil developed in Japan and is currently under clinical trial. In addition to the coil used for interventional neurosurgery, the development of an embolic liquid is presented. As an alternative to allografts such as Lyodura, we developed a dural substitute from synthetic bioabsorbable polymers which are completely free from potential risk of latent virus infection. Finally, our experience in tissue engineering for skull bone regeneration using growth factors coupled with polymeric carriers is presented to demonstrate the promise of tissue engineering in the future.