Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Non-absorbable mesh erosion after hiatal hernia repair in pets
By Cheang CJY et al.·2026·Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, United Kingdom·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Non-absorbable mesh erosion following hiatal repair: a case series.
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 393 patients who had surgery to fix a hiatal hernia (a condition where part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm), researchers found three cases of a complication called mesh erosion. This happens when the non-absorbable mesh used to support the repair starts to wear away. One male patient had ongoing reflux (stomach acid coming back up) and needed another surgery to fix it, which worked well. The two female patients with mesh erosion didn't have any symptoms related to it; one was checked for low iron levels and the other for a bleeding ulcer that wasn't connected to the mesh. Overall, while mesh erosion is a known risk after this type of surgery, it may not always cause noticeable problems.
Abstract
Despite an absence of recent supportive evidence, mesh is frequently used as an adjunct to suture closure during hiatal hernia repair to increase repair durability. Erosion of non-absorbable mesh is a well-recognized complication of this approach. We present a case series of three patients with asymptomatic erosion of light weight polypropylene mesh (LWPM). From a series of 393 patients undergoing hiatal repair with LWPM, three cases of mesh erosion were identified. One male presented with ongoing reflux symptoms and recurrent hiatal failure who ultimately underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with resolution of reflux symptoms. Two females presented with asymptomatic erosion. One underwent gastroscopy and colonoscopy for investigation of iron deficiency and the other gastroscopy for bleeding gastric ulceration unrelated to mesh erosion. Mesh erosion is a well-recognized and feared complication of mesh-augmented hiatal repair. Erosion of LWPM may be associated with fewer symptomatic implications than previously anticipated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41694444