Biomimetic surgical mesh to replace fascia with tunable force-displacement

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Synthetic surgical meshes for pelvic floor disorders can cause adverse tissue reactions due to mechanical property mismatch.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed several synthetic meshes from the market due to complications like fibrosis and erosion.
• Autologous tissue, unlike synthetic materials, does not induce fibrosis or erosion, highlighting the potential for biomimetic designs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To mimic the mechanical properties of native fascia for designing improved surgical mesh.
• To establish design rules for biomimetic mesh by modeling multi-component polymer networks.
• To address limitations of current synthetic meshes that lead to adverse tissue responses.

Main Methods:

• Mathematical modeling of multi-component polymer networks (elastin-like and collagen-like fibers) using a spring-network model.
• Experimental validation by measuring stress-strain curves of native bovine and nonhuman primate abdominal fascia.
• Analysis of fiber behavior under uniaxial tension to determine critical design parameters.

Main Results:

• A mathematical model was developed to define design rules for fascia-mimicking mesh.
• Experimental data validated the model, identifying the relationship between fiber properties and mechanical behavior.
• The study found that dual-fiber mesh with fascia-like mechanical properties is feasible.

Conclusions:

• Biomimetic surgical mesh incorporating elastin-like and collagen-like fibers can replicate native fascia mechanics.
• This approach offers a potential solution to reduce mesh-related complications such as fibrosis and erosion.
• The findings have broad implications for soft tissue replacement, including pelvic floor disorder surgeries.