Hernia Surgery

About Synthetic Mesh

Synthetic mesh is a weave, usually of polypropylene, that looks like the screens on your window and doors. The mesh is used to patch an area. The idea is that if you just sew the area back together, tension will be present at the repair. In addition, the pressures that led to the hernia in the first place are still present. Together, the tension on the repair and the pressures that caused the hernia can cause the hernia to recur.

Practically speaking, if you have a hole in your pants at the knee, you don’t just sew it closed. It will invariably reopen. As a result, you patch the area. This usually works. The same concept applies to hernia repairs. It is also important to know that a side effect of using mesh is that the pain after your operation will be less. Why? Because there is not as much tension on the tissues and tension causes pain.

Mesh and infection

Any foreign material placed in the body is a potential source for infection. However, hundreds of thousands of cases are performed each year without problem. There can be a problem with infection or erosion of the mesh through the skin or into the intestine. Fortunately, this is very rare. There are no known risks from mesh like those risks allegedly associated with silicon breast implants.

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