Nanodiamond-chitosan functionalized hernia mesh for biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Polypropylene (PP) mesh is widely used for hernia and pelvic floor repair.
• Current PP meshes face complications like rejection, infection, poor biocompatibility, and low wettability, hindering healing and cell attachment.
• Existing limitations restrict antibacterial agent loading, increasing infection risk and slowing recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel antimicrobial and biocompatible PP mesh.
• To enhance PP mesh properties for infection inhibition and accelerated healing.
• To create a modified PP mesh using chitosan and functionalized nanodiamond (FND).

Main Methods:

• Oxygen plasma treatment was used to modify the PP mesh surface.
• Bioactive chitosan was attached to the PP fibers.
• Functionalized nanodiamond (FND) was loaded onto the chitosan-modified mesh as an antibacterial agent.
• Characterization involved techniques like XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, water contact angle, confocal, and optical microscopy.

Main Results:

• The modified PP mesh demonstrated significantly increased hydrophilicity.
• Enhanced L929 fibroblast cell attachment was observed on the modified mesh.
• The chitosan and FND modified PP mesh exhibited potent antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli.

Conclusions:

• The novel modification technique successfully created an antimicrobial and biocompatible PP mesh.
• The developed PP mesh shows promise for accelerating surgical healing and reducing infection risks.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for improving PP mesh performance in clinical settings.