Chronic Hernia Mesh Infections: New Material, Better Outcomes

P4HB mesh offers a safer, fully absorbable alternative to polypropylene, reducing chronic infection and pain without increasing hernia recurrence risk.

SANTA BARBARA, CA, UNITED STATES, July 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “P4HB may be the safest alternative design to avoid chronic infections associated with hernia mesh. Although this mesh is removed by the normal human's immunological response over 18-months, the risk of reoccurrence of hernia is not different when compared with polypropylene,” states Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national product liability attorney.

Dr. Greg Vigna, hernia mesh attorney, says, “Phasix mesh, made from P4HB, has properties that reduce the risk of infection with an enhanced bodily response that eliminates bacteria that may colonize the mesh during hernia mesh surgery.”

Dr. Vigna adds, “P4HB mesh is fully biodegradable and is naturally absorbed by the body within 18 to 24 months. As a result, no permanent mesh remains, eliminating the risk of chronic mesh infections and reducing pain."

What does Dr. David C. Chen, General Surgeon, say in “Fully resorbable poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) mesh for soft tissue repair and reconstruction: A scoping review” published in Frontiers in Surgery 12 April 2023?

“After a thorough evaluation of the clinical studies identified by this scoping review, several major themes emerged, namely: (1) P4HB mesh provides long term strength at the repair site, leading to acceptable rates of recurrence as compared to higher-risk cohorts and those repaired with non-synthetic biomaterials; (2) P4HB mesh performs favorably in contaminated settings where permanent synthetic mesh use may be higher risk or contraindicated, resulting in low incidence of surgical site infection (SSI).

Finally, when P4HB mesh was utilized to replace infected mesh in a single-stage approach, Bueno-Lledo et al., reported a recurrence rate of 6.6% and SSI of 3.3%. They compared these results to a second cohort in which permanent synthetic mesh was used to replace infected mesh in a two-stage approach. The permanent synthetic mesh cohort exhibited a recurrence rate comparable to P4HB mesh, but 3x greater incidence of SSI."

Read Dr. Chen’s article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37123542/

Dr. Vigna adds, “Hernia mesh infections are serious medical complications that result in a prolonged recovery, and sometimes multiple procedures. Physicians who continue to implant polypropylene hernia mesh are exposing their patients to unreasonable risks of complications.”

Complications of abdominal mesh and inguinal mesh infection include: 1) Chronic pain, 2) Mesh-enteric fistula, 3) Reoccurrence of hernia, 4) Sepsis, 5) and Septic shock. Treatments may include 1) Local debridement and VAC pack with antibiotics, 2) Partial mesh excision with antibiotics, 3) Complete mesh removal with antibiotics, and 4) abdominal wall reconstruction with or without mesh.

Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who focuses on serious injuries caused by defective devices, including Bard Hernia Mesh and Covidien Hernia Mesh. He represents the injured from defective hernia mesh and litigates these cases with the Ben Martin Law Group, a national pharmaceutical injury law firm in Dallas, Texas.

Click here for a free book on Vaginal Mesh Pain.

Read Dr. Vigna’s book on Birth Injury: https://vignalawgroup.com/mothers-guide-to-birth-injuries/

Greg Vigna, MD, JD
Vigna Law Group
+1 8178099023
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