[The meshes of polypropylene in emergency surgery for strangulated hernias and incisional hernias].
BACKGROUND
The Authors present their experience on the use of meshes of polypropylene in septic surgery of the abdominal wall defects.


METHODS
From April 1999 to October 2003, 23 patients underwent intestinal resection (20 small intestine, 3 large intestine) for ischemic necrosis strangulation caused by defects in the abdominal wall (inguinal hernia 8, crural hernia 4, umbilical hernia 3, post-incisional hernia under umbilicus 3, post-incisional hernia epigastric 3, giant post-incisional hernia 2).


RESULTS
No patient died and the removal of the mesh was never required in cases of infection of the surgical wound; 2 surgical wounds festered, with the reopening of the cutaneous wound and showing of the prosthesis, 5 hygromas were all treated in a conservative way.


CONCLUSIONS
The macroporous structure of the meshes of polypropylene, with pores of diameter larger than 70 microns, allows contact among the bacteria, which measure one micron in diameter, and the cells of the immune system, granulocytes and macrophages, with a diameter of 15-20 microns, allowing the recovery from infections, and determining an high resistance rate to infections.


CONCLUSIONS
Polypropylene prostheses, thanks to their macroporous structure, are sufficiently resistant to infections and therefore may be safely used in the surgery of the defects of the abdominal wall, when, following ischemic necrosis, an intestinal resection is necessary.
D'Ambrosio
R
R
Azienda Ospedaliera "San Sebastiano" di Caserta di Rilievo Nazionale e di Alta Specializzazione, U.O. Chirurgia D'Urgenza.
Capasso
L
L
Sgueglia
S
S
Iarrobino
G
G
Buonincontro
S
S
Carfora
E
E
Borsi
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011126:Polypropylenes; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013526:Surgical Mesh
D011126:Polypropylenes