COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE LONG-TERM ALTERATIONS OF ELASTICITY OF SOME HERNIA MESHES AND HUMAN ABDOMINAL FASCIA

Aim: Synthetic meshes have many applications in surgery. Usually they remain in abdominal cavity for years. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term alterations to elasticity of some hernia meshes and to compare them with human fascia's elasticity. Materials and Methods: Long-term behavior of polypropylene meshes Surgimesh (SM), Tecnomesh (TM) and Surgipro (SP) were revealed using tensile experiments. The samples were cut along the rows of loops and parallel to the column of loops and were tested before their expiration date (ED) and between two months and four years after (ED). The fascia samples were taken from 13 donors aged 45-87 years and divided into three groups: up to 64 years (group A), 65-80 years (group B) and 81-90 years (group C). Tensile tests of 84 samples cut along the fibers and perpendicular to them were performed. The secant modulus at 5% deformation (E) was calculated for meshes and fascia samples and the obtained values were compared. Results: The secant modulus of SM increases and after one year approaches the mechanical properties of the fascia in the direction parallel to collagen fibers. Elastic properties of SP are the same 4 years after ED and are close to those of group B, while elastic properties of TM decrease between 30 and 50% in both directions and approach fascia's elasticity of group A and B in one direction only. Conclusions: The elasticity of the investigated hernia meshes is not close to the elasticity of human fascia and needs to be improved.