Antibiotic embedded absorbable prosthesis for prevention of surgical mesh infection: experimental study in rats

Ventral hernias are a common problem in a general surgery and hernioplasty is an integral part of a general surgeon’s practice. The use of prosthetic material has drastically reduced the risk of recurrence, but has introduced additional potential complications such as surgical wound infections, adhesion formation, graft rejection, etc. The development of a wound infection in a hernia that is repaired with a prosthetic material is a grave complication, often requiring removal of the prosthesis. This experimental study examined efficacy of completely absorbable, hydrophilic, PGA–TMC (polyglycolic acid–trimethylene carbonate) prosthesis impregnated with antibiotic for reduction of infectious complications.

Antibiotic-impregnated PGA–TMC prostheses were placed intraperitoneally in 90 Wistar white rats that were randomized and distributed into four groups. Group 0 (23 rats): there were placed PGA–TMC prosthesis without antibiotic impregnation (control group). Group 1 (25 rats): meshes were placed and infected later with 1 × 10⁸ UFC of S. aureus/1 ml/2 cm² (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, MD). Group 2 (21 rats): cefazolin-impregnated prostheses were placed (1 g × 100 ml, at the rate of 1 ml/cm² of prosthesis) and were subsequently infected with the same bacterial inoculate. Group 3 (21 rats): cefazolin-impregnated prostheses with double quantity of cefazolin and infected. A week later these animals were killed and specimens were extracted for bacterial quantification and histological studies.

Impregnation of the absorbable hydrophilic prosthesis PGA–TMC with cefazolin prevents the infection of the prosthesis placed in infected localization. Therefore, we think this option should be considered as a new and useful alternative in case of contaminated and dirty surgical fields or when a replacement of the prosthesis is required.