New technique for abdominal wall procurement. Initial experience

Area of Science:

• Abdominal surgery
• Transplantation surgery
• Grafting techniques

Background:

• Abdominal wall closure is challenging after multivisceral, intestinal, and liver transplantation due to domain loss.
• Existing methods include synthetic/biological meshes and fascia grafts, each with limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel technique for abdominal wall procurement and transplantation.
• To evaluate the efficacy of synchronously perfused rectus fascia grafts for abdominal wall reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• A technique for perfusing rectus fascia grafts synchronously with abdominal organs was developed.
• Six non-vascularized rectus fascia grafts were transplanted in patients undergoing intestinal, multivisceral, and liver transplants.

Main Results:

• The technique successfully covered abdominal wall defects ranging from 17x7 cm to 25x20 cm.
• One patient experienced graft infection requiring removal; three patients died due to sepsis.

Conclusions:

• Synchronous perfusion of rectus fascia grafts is a feasible approach for abdominal wall reconstruction post-transplantation.
• The technique provides a viable option for managing large abdominal wall defects in transplant recipients.