title: Repair of abdominal and thoracic wall defects by bovine fascia (ox fascia).
abstract: Sheets of heterologous fascia (bovine fascia) were used to close large defects of the thoracic and abdominal wall in four patients with malignant neoplasms. The material was well tolerated by the body and provided adequate protection and support to the underlying viscera. Although the fascial graft was not covered by skin flaps in two patients with abdominal wall defects, it became readily incorporated into granulation tissue that was receptive to split thickness skin grafts. The fascia was used successfully in a contaminated field and control of active infection was possible without removing the graft. These findings demonstrate that heterologous fascia is particularly useful under conditions that are not suitable for the use of synthetic materials.
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D002417:Cattle; D005205:Fascia / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012611:Scrotum; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods*