a heavy- or lightweight option depending on the patient and the her-
nia. Though lightweight options are thought to help reduce chronic
pain and inflammation, they may lack the tensile strength for some
cases. For example, a lightweight mesh may work fine in inguinal her-
nia repairs, but it may not always be the best option for ventral hernia
repair.
Should you stock conventional, synthetic mesh, or are biologic
options better? Are the new bio-synthetic technologies worth the
cost? And will your surgeons ever agree to using one type of mesh?
Answering these questions is hard. There's no research that supports
using one type of mesh over another. With new innovations promising
better outcomes — as well as sky-high prices — how can you manage
your mesh without breaking the bank?
First things first: You need to understand your mesh options and
why your surgeons prefer a particular type of mesh before you can
discuss paring down your inventory. There's a lot that's new.
New choices for complex cases
Biologic mesh options are receiving lots of recent attention. Biologics,
made of human or animal tissue, are meant to facilitate growth of the
patient's own healthy tissue into the biologic scaffold. The mesh helps
reinforce the hernia repair, but is often designed to dissipate in time
as the patient's own cells grow into the mesh. Because of these prop-
erties, biologic mesh is typically saved for cases where there's a high
likelihood of infection. It costs a lot more — while standard synthetic
options can be a few hundred dollars to up to $2,000, biologics range
from $8,000 to $20,000.
Are these new technologies worth the price? That's hard to say.
Because there's a lack of research demonstrating the value of any bio-
logic mesh, there are other factors that determine mesh selection: sur-
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