Systematic Review: Sterilization Techniques for Emerging Soft Robotics Used in Health Care Applications

Soft robotics solutions to unmet clinical needs represent an emergent disruptive technology. However, clear guidelines on the selection of sterilization methods that consider the preservation of essential physical and functional characteristics of such materials are presently lacking. We reviewed 76 studies that assessed the morphological, mechanical, and functional impact of sterilization on chemically stable and stimuli-responsive hydrogels and polymers. Gamma irradiation was well-tolerated in both stable and stimuli-responsive polymers and conferred additional beneficial material properties. Steam sterilization was suitable for most hydrogels and stimuli-responsive polymers, whereas ethylene oxide sterilization produced mixed effects in stable polymers.