N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 8 9
G
ood luck
trying to
figure out
which her-
nia mesh
is best. "There are just so
many different options out
there," says
Jeffrey Blatnik, MD, FACS,
an assistant professor of
surgery at Washington
University School of
Medicine in St. Louis
(Mo.). "That makes it diffi-
cult to keep up with some
of the latest trends
because every 6 months, a
new product emerges."
Mesh has also become
very specialized, points out
Shirin Towfigh, MD, FACS,
a hernia specialist at Beverly Hills (Calif.) Hernia Center. "There are
different meshes for laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery, for
inguinal hernias versus ventral or abdominal wall hernias, and compa-
nies within their own line of items have different styles and types,"
she says.
Making Sense of Hernia Mesh
Understanding the evolving science behind the
implants will help you decide which option to stock.
• PATCH WORK Surgeons like Shirin Towfigh, MD, FACS (right), must pick
the mesh with the substance and size that's appropriate for the patient and
the hernia repair.
Beverly
Hills
(Calif.)
Hernia
Center
Joe Paone | Senior Associate Editor