Prevention of adhesions to polypropylene mesh.
BACKGROUND
Polypropylene mesh used to repair abdominal wall hernias routinely induces dense adhesions if there is direct contact between the mesh and the viscera. Adhesions may lead later to difficult reoperation, intestinal obstruction, or enteric fistula.


METHODS
A 2.5-cm square defect was surgically created in the rat abdominal wall and replaced with: 1) polypropylene mesh, 2) Sepramesh (SM), or 3) SM plus Seprafilm. Each group included 20 animals. Adhesion area as a percent of the mesh surface was subjectively quantitated by means of laparoscopy and at sacrifice. Evaluations varied from 7 to 28 days after mesh placement. Tissues were harvested at intervals for scanning electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Adhesions were complete by day 7, with no change in area thereafter. Adhesion-free mesh surfaces were found on scanning electron microscopy to be carpeted with mesothelial cells from day 5 on. Polypropylene mesh alone induced adhesions in all rats (20/20). The mean area involved was 92%. With SM, 9 of 20 were adhesion-free. The mean area was 15%. When Seprafilm was added to SM, minimal adhesions developed in 5 of 20 rats, the mean area being 2%. Four of the five were single point omental attachments.


CONCLUSIONS
1) Sepramesh alone reduces polypropylene mesh adhesions by roughly three-quarters. 2) Sepramesh plus Seprafilm nearly eliminates such visceral adhesions. 3) Mesothelial cell coverage of polypropylene mesh confers adhesion resistance.
Felemovicius
Isaac
I
Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Bonsack
Margaret E
ME
Hagerman
Gonzalo
G
Delaney
John P
JP
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D023421:Models, Animal; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011126:Polypropylenes; C118198:Seprafilm; C418228:sepramesh; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid