Long-term histologic response to synthetic and biologic graft materials implanted in the vagina and abdomen of a rabbit model.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the effects of graft type, site of implantation, and ovariectomy on the long-term histologic response to graft materials used in pelvic reconstructive surgery.


METHODS
In all, 45 rabbits underwent ovariectomy or sham laparotomy and were implanted with polypropylene (PP) mesh (n = 23) or cross-linked porcine dermis (PS) (n = 22) in the vagina and abdomen. Grafts were harvested 9 months later and were processed for histology to evaluate the host inflammatory response and degree of tissue incorporation within the grafts.


RESULTS
Polypropylene induced a milder (P < .007), more uniform response than PS, whereas PS elicited a more variable response and degraded by 9 months. Vaginal grafts had higher scores for inflammation (P = .005) and neovascularization (P < .001), and had lower scores for fibroblastic proliferation (P < .001) than abdominal grafts. Ovariectomy had no effect (P > .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Synthetic and biologic grafts evoke different foreign body responses, which may have implications for surgical outcomes in women.
Pierce
Lisa M
LM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX, USA.
Rao
Arundhati
A
Baumann
Shannon S
SS
Glassberg
Jocylen E
JE
Kuehl
Thomas J
TJ
Muir
Tristi W
TW
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020405:Dermis / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007813:Laparotomy; D008422:Materials Testing; D023421:Models, Animal; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011126:Polypropylenes; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014621:Vagina / Q000601:surgery*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011126:Polypropylenes