[Closure of abdominal wall defects without tension using a carbon cloth implant (author's transl)]

On 20 rabbits a defect in the abdominal wall was closed by a carbon cloth (SIGRATEX KDS). A tensile force test and a histological examination was performed. Eleven days and 3 months after implantation, 10 animals with an operative-produced abdominal wall hernia and 10 normal animals were controls. A tensile force test on the specimen 3 months after implantation revealed a strength twice as high as on the normal abdominal wall. Eleven days after surgery the strength was equal to the scar tissue of the hernias. Histologically, a connective tissue ingrowth into the implant was observed, which enveloped the single carbon fibers. Collagen fibers in the direction of the carbon filaments were present. Foreign body giant cells were always seen. These results indicate that a carbon cloth seems to be suitable for the repair of abdominal wall hernias.