The effect of a chitosan coating on the adhesive potential and tensile strength of polypropylene meshes

Abstract

The polypropylene mesh used for the repair of abdominal wall hernia can cause intraabdominal adhesions. In this study, the effect of chitosan coating of the polypropylene meshes on the adhesion and tensile strength of the meshes was investigated. After coating polypropylene meshes with 2 % chitosan, 5 x 3 cm patches were prepared. Under general anesthesia, sterile laparotomy was performed in 96 Wistar albino female rats that were equally allocated to 6 groups. In the first group, only laparotomy was performed. In the second group, chitosan was applied to the peritoneal cavity, and the laparotomy was closed. In the third group, polypropylene (prolene) patches were used to close the abdomen; in the fourth group, polypropylene polyglecaprone 25 (ultrapro) mesh patches were used to close the abdomen. In the fifth and sixth groups, chitosan-coated versions of the meshes used in the third and fourth groups, respectively, were applied. All skin incisions were closed in all groups. On the 7th and 21st days, eight randomly selected rats from each group were killed. The abdomen was opened, and the adhesions were evaluated using the diamond score. The tensile strength of the meshes was measured by an Instron 4301 device. The histopathological evaluation of the inflammatory response was performed according to the Ehrlich and Hunt classification. The adhesion score was comparable among mesh groups but higher when mesh groups were compared with the control and chitosan groups (p < 0.001). The tensile strength of meshes did not differ among mesh groups. Histopathologically, meshes with or without chitosan were similar in terms of inflammatory findings. The chitosan coating did not affect the adhesion potential, the tensile strength, or the inflammatory response of the polypropylene meshes.