Pharmacological stimulation of mesh implant engraftment after ventral hernia repair

Aim. To study the effect of pyrimidine medication hydroxyethyldimethyldihydropyrimidine on the systemic inflammation after prosthetic repair of the anterior abdominal wall hernia. Methods. We prospectively analyzed two groups of patients aged between 18 and 80 years, who underwent prosthetic repair of the aponeurosis defect in the anterior abdominal wall hernia with a standard polypropylene mesh implant. The main group (n=16) was given 0.5 g hydroxyethyldimethyldihydropyrimidine per os 3 times a day ¬before meals for 5–7 days from the first day after the operation. In the control group (n=16), patients received basic therapy without hydroxyethyldimethyldihydropyrimidine. Results. The postoperative period in patients after elective prosthetic hernioplasty of anterior abdominal wall was associated with an imbalance of the immune system with a tendency to lymphocytopenia (count in blood changed by –27.0%; p=0.20, Wilcoxon criterion) without significant leukocytopenia (count in blood changed by –4.9%; p=1.00, Wilcoxon criterion) and an 82.8% increase in C-reactive protein content (p=0.2, Wilcoxon criterion) compared to baseline values before the surgery. The proposed pharmacological support of prosthetic hernioplasty of the anterior abdominal wall with hydroxyethyldimethyldihydropyrimidine allowed to correct the postoperative lymphocytopenia (p=0.04, U-criterion) and reduce the concentration of C-reactive protein by 223.6% (p=0.03, U-criterion) compared with the control, which was also associated with a decrease in the number of local complications of prosthetic hernioplasty. Conclusion. The use of hydroxyethyldimethyldihydropyrimidine in patients after prosthetic hernioplasty is associated with a significant decrease in the C-reactive protein level, prevention of postoperative lymphocytopenia and a decrease in the number of local wound complications; C-reactive protein level can serve as one of the early and significant indicators of postoperative complications in this category of patients.