Effect of host response (incorporation, encapsulation, mixed incorporation and encapsulation, or resorption) on the tensile strength of graft-reinforced repair in the rat ventral hernia model.

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine whether the elicited histologic response to synthetic and xenograft materials affected the tensile strength of mesh-reinforced repairs in the rat ventral hernia model. Hernias were repaired with Gynemesh, Pelvicol, Pelvisoft, or Surgisis (representing incorporation, encapsulation, mixed incorporation and encapsulation, or resorption responses) and were compared with a suture-plicated control. Six animals per group were killed at 1 and 3 months after graft implantation. Preimplantation tensile strength was also measured for each graft material and native rat abdominal wall. Before implantation, Pelvicol had significantly higher adjusted tensile strength when compared with the rat abdominal wall (P < .001) or the other graft materials (P <or= .05). However, no difference in adjusted tensile strength was observed among the groups at 1 and 3 months after implantation. The elicited histologic response did not affect the adjusted tensile strength of xenograft or synthetic mesh-reinforced repairs when compared with suture controls.