Marlex mesh in giant ventral hernia repair

Marlex mesh (polypropylene) is an excellent prosthetic material for closure of major defects in the abdominal wall. It helps to overcome many technical difficulties, making possible the repair of virtually every hernia. We describe two methods of ventral hernia repair, using Marlex mesh. In 20 operations in which one of the two methods was used, the results were uniformly satisfactory with acceptably low morbidity and no deaths.