title: Time-dependent changes in biomechanical properties of four different synthetic materials in a rabbit model and the importance in respect to sling surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the time-dependent biomechanical properties of four different implanted synthetic materials.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 New Zealand rabbits were randomly categorized into three groups: group 1 to be evaluated at the 2nd week, group 2 at the 8th week, and group 3 at the 12th week. Before the implantation, baseline values were obtained. Each of the 2 x 5 cm sized materials of mersilene, prolene, ultrapro and vypro mesh were placed in the anterior abdominal fascia. The mesh materials were removed, tensile strength (N/mm(2)) and ultimate strain (%) were measured by tensinometry and surface area losses (cm(2)) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tensile strength values (mean +/- SD) were 9.2 +/- 1.5, 8.5 +/- 1.2 for mersilene, 25.2 +/- 7.3, 14.0 +/- 2.9 for prolene, 2.2 +/- 0.6, 12.5 +/- 1.4 for ultrapro and 8.1 +/- 1.6, 7.0 +/- 1.8 for vypro at baseline and the 12th week. Ultimate strain values (mean +/- SD) were 131.2 +/- 46.1, 110.4 +/- 98.6 for mersilene, 181.0 +/- 26.4, 78.5 +/- 14.4 for prolene, 91.5 +/- 8.2, 89.6 +/- 20.5 for ultrapro and 84.3 +/- 8.9, 55.0 +/- 13.2 for vypro at baseline and the 12th week. Surface areas (mean +/- SD) were 8.87 +/- 0.14, 9.38 +/- 0.17, 8.4 +/- 0.32 and 8.76 +/- 0.16 for mersilene, prolene, ultrapro and vypro at the 12th week respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although prolene mesh demonstrated a decrease in its tensile strength it still remains the highest at the 12th week. Considering the significant time-dependent increase in its tensile strength, ultrapro mesh should be studied in humans. A final decision on the preference of ultrapro mesh in sling surgery could be reached after such studies.
authors.affiliation: Urology Clinic, Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. alifuatatmaca@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ali Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Atmaca
authors.forename: Ege Can
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Serefoğlu
authors.forename: Muzaffer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eroğlu
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gürdal
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Metin
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kayigil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D007249:Inflammation; D008422:Materials Testing; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry; D011098:Polyglactin 910 / Q000737:chemistry; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013997:Time Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011126:Polypropylenes; C510058:VyproII; C025539:Lavsan; D011098:Polyglactin 910