Abstract
The use of biologic mesh has increased greatly in recent years in response to the
need for a solution in managing contaminated hernias. Multiple different meshes are
commercially available, and are derived from a variety of sources, including human
dermis as well as animal sources. For a mesh to be effective, it must be resistant
to infection, have adequate tensile strength for hernia repair, and be well tolerated
by the host. To achieve this end, biologic meshes go through an intense processing
that varies from one product to the next. In this article, the authors review the
types of mesh available, how they are processed, and examine these characteristics
in terms of their strengths and weaknesses in application to surgical technique.
Keywords
biologic mesh - cross-linking - xenograft - ventral hernia
