EVALUATION OF NOVEL PORCINE PERICARDIAL BIOMATERIAL FOR VENTRAL AND INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR. THE RESULTS OF A NON-RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL.

Using the mesh for hernia repair is the most common type of hernia surgery. There are many types of meshes made of various synthetic materials, but all of these meshes have their own respective disadvantages. The aim of this study was to provide preliminary results of a non-randomized clinical trial evaluation of novel porcine grafts XI-S+® (Colorado Therapeutics LLC. USA) for ventral and inguinal hernia repair. All patients underwent a standardized surgical procedure. Onlay surgical repair technique has been performed in ten patients with ventral hernia and Lichtenstein tension-free method has been used for ten patients with inguinal hernia repair. The XI-S+® mesh fixation was performed with multiple simple interrupted sutures using prolene thread. The average age of the patients with ventral hernia was 54±14 years, and 30% of patients were female and 70% of patients were male. The average age of the patients with inguinal hernia was 62.5±9.4 years, and 10% of patients were female and 90% of patients were male. The average hospitalization length was 2 days. During three years of observation, no recurrence of hernia was observed in patients. The XI-S + ® mesh has anti-adhesive properties, is extremely resistant to infections, provides favorable conditions for engraftment, early activity and patient rehabilitation. The clinical studies of the patients that underwent ventral and inguinal hernia repair using XI-S+® mesh have shown that the post-operative pain was minimal and easily controlled by the use of analgesics. As for the sensation of the mesh, in some patients it has been present up until 1 month from surgery, but it fully disappeared by the end of the 3rd month.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ABDOMINAL WALL DEFECTS USING GELATIN-COATED DECELLULARIZED AND LYOPHILIZED HUMAN AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE.

Ventral hernias, with the incidence of reherniation nearly as high as 50%, still remain to be a real challenge for surgeons worldwide. The use of mesh in the repair of abdominal wall defects reduces the incidence of reherniation; however, using a prosthetic mesh can lead to complications like wound infection, hematoma, seroma, enterocutaneous fistula, small bowel obstruction, recurrent herniation and erosion into adjacent structures including the intestine. The aim of the study was to develop a method for producing gelatin-coated decellularized and lyophilized human amniotic membrane graft and to determine its effectiveness for the reconstruction of the anterior abdominal wall defects. Experiments were conducted on 40 Lewis white laboratory rats. Animals were divided into four equivalent groups. Abdominal wall defects were created in all rats and repaired using the ULTRAPROTM mesh (group I), ULTRAPROTM mesh which was covered by decellularized and lyophilized human amniotic membrane from both sides (group II), mesh from gelatin-coated decellularized and lyophilized human amniotic membrane (group III) and biological surgical mesh XI-S+® (group IV). Three months after implantation, meshes from gelatin-coated decellularized and lyophilized human amniotic membrane were integrated with host tissues so that it was difficult to distinguish it from the surrounding tissues. However, in the second group, ULTRAPROTM mesh was still detectable through the decellularized amniotic membrane. Encouraging results were also observed when using a XI-S+® graft. Three months after implantation, XI-S+® graft was surrounded by a well-defined connective tissue capsule and was tightly fixed to the host tissues. While using gelatin-coated decellularized and lyophilized human amniotic membrane grafts and XI-S+® grafts, all the defects were repaired successfully and none of the rats in these groups showed any evidence of bulging or herniation, development of wound rupture, wound infection or fistula formation in postoperative period. Gelatin-coated Decellularized human amniotic membrane can be used as anti-adhesive barrier in abdominal and pelvic surgery, as well as for the repair of the abdominal wall hernia.

CHALLENGES AND MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL ABDOMINAL WALL DEFECTS (REVIEW).

Management of congenital abdominal wall malformations is still a challenge in paediatric surgery due to visceroabdominal disproportion, large defects of abdominal wall and immature abdominal cavity. Most of the patients treated with primary closure need artificial substitutes like patches or biomaterials for non-permanent abdominal wall closure. Patches represent the source of constant infections and complications like separation of prosthesis from fascia. Removal of these patches and ventral hernia repair is essential afterwards. As for component separation technique, this method helps to restore normal anatomy of anterior abdominal wall, results in good cosmetic appearance, requires only one-stage operation procedure, minimal skin flap advancement and is associated with lower infection risk. Although, while performing component separation technique, perforator branches of epigastric artery (periumbilical perforators) are damaged and puts the vascularization of the skin at the risk. Only pudendal artery branches and intercostal arteries are left to supply the skin with the blood, which from our point of view is insufficient. Accordingly, for successful treatment of congenital abdominal wall defects, further research in order to develop new operation techniques, as well as search for the ideal biomaterials for the closure of the large defects of anterior abdominal wall is essential. These biomaterials should possess unique biological properties that are important for tissue repair, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifibrosis, antiscarring, as well as a reasonable cost and low immunogenicity.