title: Italian Biological Prosthesis Work-Group (IBPWG): proposal for a decisional model in using biological prosthesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Indications for repair of abdominal hernia are well established and widely diffused. Controversies still exist about the indication in using the different prosthetic materials and principally about the biological ones.
  
  
  METHODS
  In February 2012, the Italian Biological Prosthesis Work-Group (IBPWG), counting a background of 264 biologic implants, met in Bergamo (Italy) for 1-day meeting with the aim to elaborate a decisional model on biological prosthesis use in abdominal surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A diagram to simplify the decisional process in using biologics has been elaborated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present score represents a first attempt to combine scientific knowledge and clinical expertise in order to offer precise indications about the kind of biological mesh to use.
authors.affiliation: General and Emergency Surgery Department, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy. lansaloni@ospedaliriuniti.bergamo.it.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coccolini
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agresta
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.forename: Feliciano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crovella
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gossetti
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Munegato
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Negro
authors.forename: Micaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melotti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sartelli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiano di Visconte
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Testini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: Michela Giulii
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Capponi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.forename: Elia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poiasina
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ansaloni