Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair with Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate Absorbable Barrier Composite Mesh

BACKGROUND: Repair of ventral and incisional hernias (VIHR) is a common procedure, newly introduced resorbable mesh biomaterials provide an attractive option to reduce the use of permanent synthetic mesh in hernia surgery and reduce its complications. However, data on the use of slowly resorbable mesh materials remains scarce, this study aims to evaluate the use of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate/absorbable barrier composite mesh (P4HB/ABCM) in laparoscopic repair of VIHR. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of a sequential cohort of patients undergoing laparoscopic VIHR utilizing a P4HB/ABCM mesh. Perioperative characteristics and clinical outcomes were collected. RESULTS: In total, 26 patients including 10 females and 7 males underwent laparoscopic VIHR using P4HB/ABCM. All surgeries were performed in a single institution by the same surgeon. The average patient age was 52.6, and the mean BMI was 35.5. All patients had a clean wound classification. The average defect size was 136.4 cm(2). All patients were seen in clinic with a median follow-up of 28 months. We observed 4 wound seromas, and no wound infections or recurrences during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Results of laparoscopic VIHR with P4HB/ABCM are favorable and encourages further studies on the role of absorbable biosynthetic mesh materials in hernia surgery.