Impact of pericardium bovine patch (Tutomesh(®)) on incisional hernia treatment in contaminated or potentially

A Gurrado1, I F Franco, G Lissidini

  • 1Unit of Endocrine, Digestive, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University Medical School,"Aldo Moro" of Bari, Policlinico, P.zza G. Cesare,11, 70124, Bari, Italy, angelagurrado@libero.it.

Abstract

Insights

Bovine pericardium mesh is a safe and effective option for incisional hernia repair in contaminated surgical fields, particularly when bowel resection is necessary. This method significantly reduces wound infection and recurrence rates compared to primary closure or synthetic mesh.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Innovation
  • Hernia Repair Techniques
  • Biomaterials in Surgery

Background:

  • Incisional hernias in contaminated fields pose significant challenges due to high risks of infection and recurrence.
  • Traditional repair methods often have limited success in these complex cases.
  • Evaluating alternative biomaterials for hernia repair is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the outcomes of incisional hernia repair using primary closure versus synthetic or bovine pericardium mesh in contaminated surgical settings.
  • To analyze the impact of concomitant bowel resection on morbidity and infection rates.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of bovine pericardium mesh (Tutomesh®) in complex hernia repairs.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective comparative study of 152 patients undergoing incisional hernia repair in contaminated fields between January 2002 and January 2012.
  • Patients were divided into three groups: primary closure (Group A), synthetic mesh (Group B), and bovine pericardium mesh (Group C).
  • Prosthetic groups were further analyzed by Onlay and Sublay techniques, with a focus on complications like infection, seroma, and recurrence.

Main Results:

  • Bovine pericardium mesh (Group C) showed significantly lower wound infection (3% vs 37%) and recurrence (0% vs 14%) rates compared to primary closure (Group A).
  • Group C also demonstrated lower wound infection (3% vs 53%), seroma (0% vs 34%), and recurrence (0% vs 16%) than synthetic mesh (Group B).
  • Concomitant bowel resection increased overall morbidity and wound infection rates, but the bovine pericardium patch remained effective, especially in the Sublay configuration.

Conclusions:

  • Bovine pericardium mesh is a safe and effective biomaterial for repairing ventral hernias in potentially contaminated operative fields.
  • This mesh is particularly advantageous when associated with bowel resection, offering reduced complication rates.
  • The Sublay technique with synthetic mesh showed better outcomes than the Onlay technique regarding morbidity and infection.