Comparison of three different mesh materials in tension-free inguinal hernia repair: prolene versus Vypro versus surgisis

Abstract

Using mesh or a synthetic prosthesis during tension-free inguinal hernia repair has been shown to be safe and effective. We compared the final outcome in treating inguinal hernia in 45 patients using three different prosthetic materials: 15 patients underwent tension-free inguinal hernia repair using Prolene (polypropylene) mesh, 15 using Vypro (polyglactin and polypropylene) mesh, and 15 with Surgisis-a new bioactive material derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tension-free inguinal repair using Surgisis, comparing it with conventional prosthetic materials. From January 2003 to December 2003, 45 male patients underwent Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair. Median follow-up was 12 months, with a range of 1-16 months. Each patient underwent ultrasound evaluation of the inguinal region 1 month after surgery. All the procedures were completed under local anesthesia. There were no intraoperative complications, and all patients were discharged home the same day of surgery. No recurrent hernias and wound infections were observed in our post-operative follow-up period. Postoperative pain (visual analog score) and discomfort were lower in patients with Surgisis mesh. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of overall early and late complications; however, there was a tendency toward a higher incidence of pain and discomfort in Vypro and Prolene group. The median time to full recovery was significantly shorter in the Surgisis group. Surgisis mesh seems to be a promising new prosthetic material for hernia repair. Long-term follow-up is necessary to confirm these preliminary results.