A novel experimental model to verify the safety and local reactivity of surgical mesh

Abstract

Synthetic surgical meshes are widely used for hernia repair; they effectively reduce recurrence rates. Mesh implantation in the abdominal wall is typically employed to study mesh toxicity; however, this site has limitations when evaluating their physical properties. This study proposed the buccal region as a novel implantation site and compared its histopathological outcomes with those of the conventional abdominal method. Three types of synthetic meshes: polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), were implanted in the buccal and abdominal areas of the subjects. Tissue samples were collected and analyzed at 1–2 weeks post implantation. Compared to the abdominal implantation group, the buccal implantation group exhibited muscle layer adhesion and tissue infiltration on both mesh surfaces, although granulation and fibrosis were generally reduced, especially at 2 weeks. Among the meshes, PP demonstrated the highest pathology scores, whereas PTFE exhibited the lowest scores. Buccal implantation allows continuous mesh contact with the tissues involved in mastication and facial movements; this promotes mesh expansion, contraction, and enhanced tissue infiltration. This approach mitigates the disadvantages of conventional abdominal implantation such as mesh detachment and adjacent organ invasion. Therefore, buccal implantation provides a stable platform for pathological evaluation and enables the assessment of various physical properties after long-term implantation, making it a promising new model for assessing mesh biocompatibility.