Immobilizasyon

Immobilization is the act of making something immobile or limiting its movement. In medical contexts, immobilization stabilizes a body part to promote healing after injury or surgery. In industrial and laboratory contexts, immobilization refers to fixing enzymes, cells, or catalysts to a solid support to enable reuse and continuous processes.

In medicine, methods include splints, casts, traction, and external fixation. Indications include fractures, ligament injuries, postoperative stabilization, or immobilization of swollen joints. Duration varies with injury and healing; careful monitoring for complications is essential, such as skin breakdown, pressure ulcers, muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, and circulatory changes. Removal is typically followed by guided rehabilitation to restore range of motion and strength.

In biotechnology and environmental engineering, immobilized biocatalysts are enzymes or cells attached to carriers by adsorption, covalent bonding, entrapment, or encapsulation. Advantages: easy separation, reuse, higher stability, easier control of process conditions. Limitations: mass transfer limits, potential loss of activity, enzyme leakage. Applications: synthesis of chemicals, pharmaceutical manufacturing, wastewater treatment, biosensors, and diagnostic assays.

The term immobilization also appears in accounting and asset management contexts where resources are treated as fixed or non-current assets, rather than as liquid or current assets, reflecting long-term use rather than short-term exchange.