USE OF BIODEGRADABLE (PGA) FABRIC FOR REPAIR OF SOLID-ORGAN INJURY - A COMBINED INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE

A fabric constructed of biodegradable mesh was used in the operative r epair of injured intra-abdominal organs in 60 patients at two Level I Trauma Centres. Splenorrhaphy was performed in 44 patients, hepatorrha phy in eight, renorrhaphy in five and one combined repair of spleen an d liver and one kidney and liver. The age range for the patients was 5 to 61 years. Multiple-organ injury occurred in 21 patients. Mean emer gency room systolic BP for the patient series was 120 +/- 24 mmHg (SD) , Glasgow Coma Scale 14.3 +/- 1.9, haematocrit 3 7.2 +/- 6.4 per cent, Injury Severity Score (ISS) 28.1 +/- 16.3, Abdominal Trauma Index (AT I) 15.5 +/- 7.5. Postoperative complications occurred in 36.7 per cent of patients. Time for the operation averaged 165.1 + 72. 1 min and pr eoperative and operative transfusion volume averaged 2248 ml. There we re three deaths (5.4 per cent). The mesh organ repair technique is an alternative to conventional surgical procedures used to control bleedi ng from injured organ surfaces and to close organ parenchymal defects.