W
hat's the best mesh? "If there were one perfect
mesh, we wouldn't be having this conversation,"
says Kent W. Kercher, MD, FACS, a surgeon with
Carolinas Hernia Institute in Charlotte, N.C. "We
would be using it." While there's no one-mesh-fits-all
solution, the ongoing search for the perfect hernia repair has inspired
several new meshes and fixation devices designed to prevent complica-
tions and minimize recurrence. Here's a look at 3 trends worth noting.
1. Biologic results at half the price
In most healthy patients, a synthetic polypropylene mesh is suitable,
says Hien Tan Nguyen, MD, the director of the Johns Hopkins
Comprehensive Hernia Center in Baltimore, Md. However, surgeons
1 2 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A Y 2 0 1 6
In Search of the
Perfect Hernia Repair
• WHICH MESH? Several new mesh options available today address common concerns with hernia repair, including complications and recurrence.
The latest mesh options and fixation techniques are making surgery
safer and more efficient. Kendal Gapinski | Associate Editor
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
