Biological Performance of Materials: Fundamentals of Biocompatibility, Fourth Edition focuses on principles of biological performance at a fundamental level, analyzing interactions between organisms and nonliving materials used in medical devices. The book is divided into three sections: the material response to biological systems, host response to biomaterials, and test methods for determining biological response in vitro as well as in animal models and clinical settings. Subsections summarize the physical properties of commonly used metallic, polymeric, and ceramic biomaterials and provide a guide to understanding the clinical performance of implanted biomaterials.