Advances in Innovative Surgical Implant Manufacturing for Hernia Repair and Soft Tissue Reconstruction

TL;DR

This review explores how regenerative medicine, including platelet-rich plasma and stem cells, can improve hernia repair and tissue reconstruction by enhancing surgical mesh integration.

Contribution

The paper systematically reviews experimental studies on using PRP, stem cells, or their combination to coat hernia meshes for better tissue regeneration.

Findings

PRP and stem cells show potential in promoting neoangiogenesis and tissue regeneration when applied to hernia meshes.

Combining PRP with stem cells may enhance the survival and function of cells on prosthetic materials.

Current studies suggest that these approaches could reduce complications in hernia repair.

Abstract

Abdominal wall hernias occur in a high percentage of the general population, making prosthetic hernia repair one of the most common surgical procedures. Despite the significant development of surgical techniques and the improvement of surgical meshes, complications still burden the health of patients, as well as the health system. The successful integration of the mesh plays a crucial role in the minimizing the complications associated with hernia meshes. Regenerative medicine focuses on the development of new treatments and applications to heal tissues and organs in order to restore their function. It uses scaffolds that provide physical support and a suitable environment for accelerating repair and proliferation and promoting the regeneration of damaged tissue. Platelet-rich plasma and stem cells are essential tools in regenerative medicine since they have shown efficacy in multiple fields. The main risk factor negatively affecting the survival of any cell type, including stem cells on a prosthetic material, is ischemia. Without the minimum required supply of oxygen, growth factors, and cytokines, it is impossible for cells to successfully proliferate and differentiate. The addition of PRP to a surgical mesh is hypothesized to increase neoangiogenesis in the area, acting as a reservoir of growth factors that will create the right conditions for the proliferation and differentiation of these cells. The aim of the present review is to record experimental studies that have been published where a scaffold or a hernia mesh is coated with PRP, stem cells, or a combination of them for hernia repair and soft tissue reconstruction.

Figures