INTESTINE SUBMUCOSA AND POLYPROPYLENE MESH FOR ABDOMINAL-WALL REPAIR IN DOGS

Continuing investigations of abdominal body wall reconstruction materi als suggest that unacceptable implant complications continue and that the ideal material has not yet been found. This pilot study compared x enogeneic (porcine) small intestine submucosa (SIS) with polypropylene mesh (PPM) for repair of created partial-thickness (six dogs) and ful l-thickness (six dogs) abdominal wall defects. Postoperative clinical evaluation of all dogs showed no evidence of implant failure. Dogs wer e euthanized at 1, 2, and 4 months after surgery. The SIS implants wer e completely replaced by host tissue at 4 months as determined by immu nohistochemistry. The resultant repair was well-organized, smooth, den se collagenous connective tissue that was well incorporated into the a djacent fascia and skeletal muscle fiber bundles, In the full-thicknes s defect dogs, omentum covered a significantly larger portion of PPM ( P = 0.001) and was more firmly attached to PPM (P = 0.0001) compared t o SIS/connective tissue repair. We conclude that xenogeneic SIS can be used as an abdominal body wall repair material in the dog and warrant s further investigations. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.