A retrospective study evaluating the use of Permacol™ surgical implant in incisional and ventral hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The outcome of incisional and ventral hernia repair depends on surgical technique, patient, and material. Permacol™ surgical implant (crosslinked porcine collagen) has been used for over a decade; however, there are few data on outcomes. This study is the largest retrospective multinational study to date to evaluate outcomes with Permacol™ surgical implant in the repair of incisional and ventral hernias. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively on 343 patients treated for 213 incisional and 130 ventral hernias. Data evaluated included patient demographics, wound classification, surgical technique, morbidity, and recurrence rates. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 649 days (max: 2857), median age 57 years (range 23-91), and BMI 32 kg/m(2) (range 17.6-77.8). Two or more comorbidities were present in 70% of patients. Open surgery was performed in 220 (64%) patients. Permacol™ surgical implant was used as an underlay (250), sublay (39), onlay (37), or inlay (17). Surgical techniques included component separation (89; 25.9%), modified Stoppa technique (197; 57.4%), and Rives-Stoppa (17; 5.0%). CDC Surgical Wound Classification was Class I (190), Class II (103), Class III (28), and Class IV (22). Complications were seen in 40.5% (139) of the patients, with seroma (19%) and wound infection (15%) as the most common. Mesh removal occurred in 1 (0.3%) patient. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the probabilities for hernia recurrence at one, two, and three years were 5.8%, 16.6%, and 31.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Permacol™ surgical implant was shown to be safe with relatively low rates of hernia recurrence. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01214252 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Evaluation of porcine dermal collagen (Permacol) used in abdominal wall reconstruction.

Various methods have been employed to reconstruct complex abdominal wall defects. Structural prosthetic materials such as polypropylene mesh and ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) have been widely used to close these large fascial defects, however, complications with infection and adhesions have led to the recent use of more biocompatible implants. Permacol (acellular porcine dermis) is used as a dermal scaffold, which eventually becomes vascularised and remodelled to reconstruct the abdominal wall in these complex patients. A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent consecutive abdominal wall reconstruction with Permacol at our institution in the year 2006. Twenty-eight patients were identified and included in our study. Factors evaluated were: body mass index, relevant co-morbidities, aetiology of hernia, hernia defect size based on CT scan and intraoperative measurement, size of Permacol implant, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. Surgical technique was standardised among six surgeons and involved a single layer of acellular porcine dermis as a subfascial 'underlay' graft under moderate tension upon maximal hernia reduction. Tissue expanders were not required for skin closure. Out of 28 patients, 12 were male and 16 were female. Mean intraoperative hernia size was 150 cm(2) (range of 10 cm(2) to 600 cm(2)). Mean age was 55 years with an average body mass index (BMI) of 34 (largest BMI of 61.4). Defects were attributed to either a previous laparotomy incision or open abdomen. Mean hospital stay was 9.67 days. At a mean follow-up of sixteen months, there were three recurrent hernias (10.7%) based on physical examination and postoperative CT scan evaluation. One patient developed a superficial wound dehiscence which was successfully treated with local wound care and one patient developed a cellulitis which was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy. Four patients (14.3%) developed a chronic, non-infected fluid collection lasting >one month all of which resolved. No patient required removal of the implant due to infection. Permacol can be successfully used in the reconstruction of both small and large ventral hernias. This biodegradable matrix serves as a safe and useful alternative to both synthetic mesh and AlloDerm.