Influence of temporary abdominal wall repair on the intestinal integrity: an experimental study in the rat.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze intestinal integrity after temporary abdominal wall repair with absorbable mesh.


METHODS
Rats underwent abdominal wall repair with absorbable mesh or sham operation. Myeloperoxidase-positive cells in the intestinal muscularis were histochemically quantified. Intestinal transit was visualized 48 h after surgery. Local and systemic inflammatory response was measured with TNF-alpha and IL-6 ELISA as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) expression in serum and peritoneal fluid.


RESULTS
Neutrophil count of the intestinal muscularis revealed that infiltration in the mesh-implanted and in the mesh-free animals 48 h postoperatively was similar. Gastrointestinal transit was similarly unaffected 48 h after surgery, with or without mesh implantation. TNF-alpha, IL-6 and MDA concentration in serum and peritoneal fluid showed no significant differences between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal contractility and local and systemic inflammatory response remained unaffected. Therefore, absorbable mesh augmentation is a safe and reliable method for temporary repair of the abdominal wall without affecting the intestinal integrity.
Overhaus
M
M
Department of Surgery, University of Bonn Medical Center, Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. marcus.overhaus@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Schaefer
N
N
Hirner
A
A
Kalff
J C
JC
Tolba
R H
RH
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D023421:Models, Animal; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008315:Malondialdehyde