title: Diagnosis of mesh infection after abdominal wall hernia surgery - role of radionuclide methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the role of detection of late mesh infection following incisional hernia repair with radiolabeled antigranulocyte antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mesh infection diagnoses were set up with clinical examination and laboratory analysis and confirmed by ultrasonography (US), computerized tomography (CT), scintigraphy with 99mTc-antigranulocyte antibodies and microbiological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 17 patients investigated, 6 had a late mesh infection, and 11 had both mesh infection and recurrent incisional hernia. Clear clinical signs of late mesh infection were present in 13 patients. Four remaining patients had non-specific discomfort and recurrent incisional hernia without clinical manifestation of mesh infection ('silent infection'). US was positive in 12/17 patients, CT in 13/17 patients, while scintigraphy with antigranulocyte antibodies in 17/17 patients. Therefore, sensitivity of US was 71%, of CT 76% and of scintigraphy 100%. In four patients late mesh infection was confirmed exclusively by 99mTc-antigranulocyte antibody scintigraphy, while US and CT did not indicate the infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the present results, scintigraphy with 99mTc antigranulocyte antibodies is a useful method for the detection of 'silent' abdominal wall infections after surgery, which is very important for prompt and appropriate therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marinko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuvela
authors.forename: Andrija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antic
authors.forename: Djordje
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bajec
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Radenkovic
authors.forename: Milorad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrovic
authors.forename: Danijel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galun
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palibrk
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ethuric
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stojkovic
authors.forename: Jovica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milovanovic
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milovanovic
authors.forename: Ethordije
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saranovic
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Artiko
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sobic
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Obradovic
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kaznatovic
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Banko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D005260:Female; D046449:Hernia, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012008:Recurrence; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals