Tension banding closure of laparotomies: results of an experimental study in dogs.

Background: Conventional laparotomy closure may cause ischemia, edema, and necrosis of the incisional edges, weakening of the tissue, and incisional hernia formation. Two experimental closure techniques were established to investigate laparotomy healing without suturing the incisional edges.

Methods And Materials: In 24 dogs median laparotomies were closed applying two techniques following the principle of tension banding.

Functional and morphological evaluation of a low-weight, monofilament polypropylene mesh for hernia repair.

With more than 1 million implantations per year worldwide, mesh repair has become a standard procedure for the treatment of hernias. Apart from various technical problems, the type of material has been proven to be of considerable importance for the functional and histological outcome, particularly for long-term implantation. Whereas the advantageous application of low-weight, large-pore meshes based on multifilaments can be stated without doubt, it is still open whether similar results can be achieved on the basis of pure monofilaments.

Inguinal tensile strength and pain level after Shouldice repair.

Background: Tension of the abdominal wall in the inguinal region induced by Shouldice repair of an inguinal hernia is said to be responsible for elevated postoperative pain levels.

Patients And Methods: In 20 patients we recorded the inguinal tensile strength during closure of the hernial gap using a wound retractor equipped with strain gauges. Postoperative pain levels were scaled using a visual analogous score, and correlated with the tensile strength of the inguinal abdominal wall together with peak flow and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 8, 24, and 48 h after the time of operation.

Load on the inguinal region under standard conditions in pigs.

Objective: To find out the effect of standardised stress on the load of the inguinal region.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: Surgical university clinic, Germany.