An improved method for deploying the polypropylene underlay patch of the PROLENE Hernia System.

The PROLENE Hernia System (PHS) is a bilayer patch device providing an anterior approach to preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair. To provide improved expansion of the underlay patch of PHS, a modified device featuring a deploying "pocket" in the double-layered underlay graft was designed. The deploying "pocket" is flat in shape and harbors a perimeter that can act as a receiving unit for surgical force, which is exerted outward and backward to expand the underlying graft. Through a unique surgical technique using an angled metal pusher to facilitate access to intrapocket manipulation, the underlay graft not only can be fully deployed, but can be securely placed in the preperitoneal space to cover the entire myopectineal orifice. This allows effective treatment of inguinal/femoral herniation. Based on the encouraging clinical results obtained using a procedure that incorporates this strategy at our hospital, it can be concluded that this modified device/technique for PHS is one of the best inguinal/femoral hernia repair methods available.