[Laparoscopic treatment of abdominal wall hernias: prosthesis material comparison]

Hernia is due to abdominal wall weakening. This allows the contents of the abdomen to protrude from normal boundaries. Hernias are repaired by implanting a sterile surgical mesh to strengthen the weakened abdominal wall. Aim of this study is to compare the results obtained by bard Composix® L/P mesh or Dualmesh Plus Gore® implanting. The mesh has various beneficial characteristics. It is a reinforcing material for the abdominal wall, even when in the direct contact with the intestinal tract does not cause adhsion problems. The use of biocompatible materials is necessary in laparoscopic hernia repair. e-PTFE prosthesis and Dual Mesh® were the first to be used for laparoscopic treatment of the abdominal wall defects. These prosthesis are the result of many improvements, actually they are 1-mm thick and the two surfaces have different characteristics. Compound meshes are composed by e-PTFE and polypropylene with different percentage of the two materials and methods of interactions. The incidence of early complications were poor in relation to both types of implants, only seroma cases e-PTFE treated showed a prevalence of complication, in agreement with literature. About relapses in our experience we found that e-PTFE cases were predominantly. Dual Mesh® has better adaptability than Bard Composix®, which allows easier placement of the prosthesis as well as a better adaptation to the wall surface. The Bard Composix®, thanks to rigidity due to the polypropylene component has better handling than the Dual Mesh®, as it promotes a rapid and easy deployment of the prosthesis inside the abdominal cavity, favoring its positioning. The use of both prosthesis depends also on the experience specific to each operator, moreover, a rigorous surgical technique remains fundamental for the application of the mesh used.