Synthetic bioabsorbable hernia plug for plug and patch inguinal herniorrhaphy implantation technique

New products have led the way in advancements of inguinal hernia repair. None is more impressive than the evolution of the plug patch. In 1968 Irving Lichtenstein introduced the first Marlex mesh plug repair when he rolled a piece of flat polypropylene into the shape of a cigarette to fill a femoral defect. He later expanded his use of the "cigarette plug" to repair recurrent hernias. Today, a wide array of mesh plugs, ranging from nonabsorbable to partially and fully absorbable biomaterials, are available from manufacturers. While some surgeons have used the plug alone for repair, most believe the overlay patch is of greater importance for the durability of the repair. With larger overlays, it is questionable whether a plug should be a permanent, nonabsorbable material. Heavyweight plugs have been reported to erode, migrate, or cause vocational-limiting inguinodynia. Using a fully absorbable plug in inguinal hernia repair minimizes the risk of these complications. This article focuses on the technical refinements associated with using the completely absorbable GORE BIO-A Hernia Plug (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc, Elkton, MD) in combination with macroporous polypropylene or polyester. Additionally, this paper describes the use of GORE BIO-A Tissue Reinforcement as an alternative for repair following removal of prior polypropylene plug-patch herniorrhaphy that cause inguinodynia.