A Review of Advanced Abdominal Wall Hernia Patch Materials

Abstract

Tension‐free abdominal wall hernia patch materials (AWHPMs) play an important role in the repair of abdominal wall defects (AWDs), which have a recurrence rate of less than 1%. Nevertheless, there are still significant challenges in the development of tailored, biomimetic, and extracellular matrix (ECM)‐like AWHPMs that satisfy the clinical demands of abdominal wall repair (AWR) while effectively handling post‐operative complications associated with abdominal hernias, such as intra‐abdominal visceral adhesion and abnormal healing. This extensive review presents a comprehensive guide to the high‐end fabrication and the precise selection of these advanced AWHPMs. We begin by briefly introducing the structures, sources, and properties of AWHPMs, and critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different types of AWHPMs for AWR applications. We subsequently summarize and elaborate upon state‐of‐the‐art AWHPM fabrication methods and their key characteristics (e.g., mechanical, physicochemical, and biological properties in vitro/vivo). This review uses compelling examples to demonstrate that advanced AWHPMs with multiple functionalities (e.g., anti‐deformation, anti‐inflammation, anti‐adhesion, pro‐healing properties, etc) can meet the fundamental clinical demands required to successfully repair AWDs. In particular, there have been several developments in the enhancement of biomimetic AWHPMs with multiple properties, and additional breakthroughs are expected in the near future.

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