Page 39 - herina surgery and possible lawsuits

Polypropylene discovered and manufactured by Karl Ziegler (1898-1973) of Germany and

Giulio Natta (1903-1972) of Italy, for which they shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry
in 1963 for their work, which began in 1938.[9]
• Francis Usher (1908-80) was a pioneer, who focused on development of mesh

prosthesis. From freeze dried homographs and lyophilized dura mater, he tried
different materials and finally arrived at a new polymer, known as 'polypropylene',
first introduced as Marlex 50 in 1959, and the results of hernia repair were good. In

1963, it was improved as Marlex mesh and marketed by C.R. Bard (Bellerica, MA,
USA).
• All products described as Polypropylene mesh, Marlex mesh, Prolene mesh (Ethicon),

and Surgipro (US Surgical Corporation,USA) are similar products. [26]
• This mesh induces an inflammatory reaction and scarring. This characteristic led to an

enormous impact on surgery and has become the most popular mesh available for
surgical implantation. Numerous reports have attested to its usefulness.[10]
Polytetmfluoroethylene (PTFE) was first discovered accidentally in 1938 by Plunkett of E.I.

Du Pont Company.
• In 1963, Shinsaburo Oshige of Sumitoma Electric Industries (Osaka, Japan)
discovered a process for expanding PTFE to produce a structure with improved

mechanical strength.[10]
• W.L.Gore has refined the technique for expanding PTFE (e-P'ITE) to provide a sheet
material for surgical repair of hernias as Gore-Tex Soft Tissue Patch (STP). Gore-Tex

STP has been shown to be stronger than Marlex or Mersilene mesh and is equivalent
to these materials in terms of suture retention strength. [26]
Absorbable Mesh;

• Polyglycohc acid (Dexon) and polyglactm 910 (Vicryl) meshes have been developed
from suture material.
• Dexon is braided fibers, produces mesh which is soft, pliable and stretchable

prosthetic netting.
• Vicrvl mesh is tightly woven broad cloth that is flexible but not elastic. '
Both of these biomaterials are biodegradable and gradually absorbed over a period of

approximately 90 days and should not be used as the sole prosthesis for repair of abdominal
hennas. Dexon mesh could be used to wrap the injured spleen for successful tamponade for
parenchymal hemorrhage. Vicryl mesh used to repair abdominal wall defects, but had

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