Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two-stage surgery for chronic mesh infection after hernia repair
By Ambrose NP et al.·2026·Christian Medical College and Hospital, India·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Staged approach to chronic mesh infection following hernia repair: a single-center experience.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how well a two-step surgery worked for patients who had chronic infections from mesh used in hernia repairs. They reviewed records from 64 patients, mostly middle-aged adults, and found that a common bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, was often involved. Out of the patients, 41 had all of the mesh removed, while others had partial removals or cleaning of the area. After an average follow-up of four years, about 65% of the patients did not have a hernia come back, but those with inguinal hernias (in the groin area) had a lower chance of recurrence compared to those with ventral hernias (in the abdominal area). The study suggests that complete removal of the mesh is the best approach for these infections, and that specialized centers should handle these cases.
Abstract
<h4>Purpose</h4>To investigate the outcomes of a two-staged approach involving mesh explantation surgery in patients with chronic mesh infection (CMI) following hernia repair.<h4>Methods</h4>A retrospective review of patients who underwent mesh explantation for CMI after ventral and inguinal hernia repair (2011-2019) using electronic database records.<h4>Results</h4>Sixty-four patients (41 M, 23 F) included in this study had a mean age and BMI of 46.5 and 26.7, respectively. The most commonly isolated organism was Staphylococcus aureus (23.5%). Complete mesh explantation was performed in 41 patients, partial in 17, and debridement in 5 others. One patient underwent single-stage hernia mesh repair using biological mesh. Among the other 63, 22 (35%) had recurrent hernia after mesh explantation (mean follow-up: 4 years), 14 underwent hernia mesh repair, and eight were lost to follow-up; 41 (65%) remained recurrence-free after mesh explantation over a mean follow-up of 4 years (SD +/- 2.18 years). The recurrence rate after mesh explantation was significantly lower in patients with inguinal hernias (16%, 4/25) than in those with ventral hernias (46.2%, 18/39; p = 0.046).<h4>Conclusion</h4>Chronic mesh infections following hernia repair pose a formidable challenge to surgeons. It is better handled at specialized centers. We suggest complete mesh explantation in such patients and staged repair in the event of a hernia recurrence.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41483020