title: [Conservative management of hernia mesh infection].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standard management of infected mesh advocates its removal, but this often results in a larger hernia than at the time of original repair. In this article we describe a novel approach to manage conservatively an infected prosthetic mesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mesh infection rate at our institution was 1%. We describe 3 cases (inguinal, ventral and parastomal hernias) that presented prosthetic mesh infections. All the cases were satisfactorily managed with a conservative approach, consisting in wound opening and pressurized wound irrigation with gentamicin (80mg/8hours) and intravenous infusion of Amoxicilin/Clavulanic acid (875mg+125mg/8hours) during 7 days, achieving sterile cultures of the mesh surface in all the cases. A 3rd intention closure of the wound was performed. There is no clinical evidence of recurrent infection in any case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conservative management of mesh infection, including drainage, antibiotic irrigation and wound closure, is a potential alternative to mesh removal.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Tovar
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rey Ibarra
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Devesa Múgica
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016972:Enterobacter cloacae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination