Hyaluronic acid and adhesions on polypropylene endoperitoneal mesh: an experimental study

The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid in preventing adhesion formation after endoperitoneal surgery in which prosthetic polypropylene mesh is placed directly on the viscera.

Forty albino rats were included in this study and the animals were randomized to the following 4 groups each with 10 rats: polypropylene prosthesis (PP), PP+hyaluronic acid (HA), Hertra prosthesis (HP), HP+HA. A large defect was created in the anterior abdominal wall of each rat and repaired in different ways. In the first group a polypropylene mesh was placed intraperitoneally, while, in the second group the peritoneal surface of the mesh was impregnated with HA. In the third group a Hertra 0 polypropylene rigid mesh was placed intraperitoneally and, in the fourth group, the peritoneal surface of the Hertra 0 mesh was impregnated with HA. Clinical controls on the animals were carried out at 1 month. Each group was divided into two subgroups in which the controls and the prosthetic explantation were randomly carried out at 3 and 6 months. Explanted prostheses were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analysis, and examined for shrinkage. An assessment of adhesion formation was performed, evaluating the quantity and tenacity of the adhesions.

We demonstrated higher levels of adhesions in rats with PP than in those with HP and lower levels in rats with a protective layer of hyaluronic acid. The amount of fibronectin in the periprosthetic fibrotic tissue and the histological score confirmed the previous data.

Hertra 0 mesh with HA provided the best results in terms of physical stability and resistance to adhesion formation.