Adhesions on polypropylene versus Sepramesh® meshes: an experimental study in rats.

OBJECTIVE

to compare the formation of induced intraperitoneal adhesions in rats when using polypropylene and Sepramesh® meshes.

METHODS

we used 20 male Wistar rats, randomly grouped in two groups of ten animals each. We arranged two 10x20mm meshes intraperitoneally into each animal, one being the polypropylene (PP), and the other, Sepramesh®. In Group 1, the polypropylene mesh was positioned to the right, and the Sepramesh®, to the left. In Group 2, the meshes' layout was reversed. After 14 days of the procedure, we euthanized the animals and analyzed the incorporation and percentages of adhesions macroscopically in each mesh. We submitted the collected data to statistical analysis with a significance level of 5% (p<0.05).

RESULTS

all meshes showed adhesions. In the Sepramesh® ones, the percentage of surface covered by adhesions ranged from 2% to 86%, with a mean of 18.6±18.6%, while in the polypropylene meshes, it varied between 6% and 86%, with an average of 57.4%±34.9% (p<0.05). The preferred adhesion sites on both meshes were the edges.

CONCLUSION

although no mesh was able to completely inhibit the development of adhesions, the Sepramesh® mesh presented less adhesions to the polypropylene mesh. The most common sites of adhesion formation were the edges of the prosthesis, which evidences the importance of the adequate fixation of the meshes.