Betamethasone-loaded poly(1,4-butylene carbonate) film: a potential material for repairing tympanic membrane perforations.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of poly(1,4-butylene carbonate) (PBC) films loaded with betamethasone for repairing tympanic membrane (TM) perforations. Drug-loaded PBC films were fabricated via a precise solvent casting method. Comprehensive characterization and biological assessments were conducted on the resultant films. In vitro assays demonstrated that the betamethasone-loaded PBC films possessed optimal physicochemical properties and significantly promoted cell viability. In vivo subcutaneous implantation studies revealed negligible hemolytic activity and confirmed the favorable biocompatibility and biodegradability of the composite films. Furthermore, a rat acute TM perforation model verified the superior morphological repair efficacy of the 1 wt% betamethasone-loaded PBC membrane. Collectively, these results highlight the potential of betamethasone-loaded PBC films as biomaterials for the morphological reconstruction of damaged tympanic membranes. Notably, all the observations in this work have come from evaluating only the structural repair of the TM; auditory functional tests, including ABR and tympanometry, have not been included, and we have made no claims regarding hearing recovery.