A comparison of polypropylene mesh, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch and polyglycolic acid mesh for the repair of experimental abdominal wall defects.

Abdominal wall defects created in Sprague-Dawley rats were repaired with either polypropylene mesh (PPM), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch (PTFE) or polyglycolic acid mesh (PGA). Tensiometric studies of abdominal wall strength showed that PPM and PTFE provided a strong repair, but that the fibrous response induced by PGA was insufficient to produce a strong support for abdominal wall reconstruction. The size of the overlap at the interface between the abdominal wall fascia and prosthetic material has a greater effect on wound strength with expanded PTFE than with PPM. This is because of the different pattern of collagen infiltration into each material.