Randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic hernia repair comparing titanium-coated lightweight mesh and medium-weight composite mesh.

BACKGROUND: The use of lightweight meshes in incisional hernia repair could have beneficial effects on quality of life. This study aimed to compare a new titanium-coated lightweight mesh with a standard composite mesh after laparoscopic incisional hernia repair.

METHODS: A randomized controlled single-center clinical trial was designed using the basic principle of one unit, one surgeon, one technique (midline incisional hernia with a laparoscopic approach), and two meshes: a lightweight titanium-coated mesh (group 1) and a medium-weight collagen-polyester composite mesh (group 2) used in 102 patients. The primary end points were pain and recurrence. The secondary end points were morbidity and patient outcomes (analgesic consumption, return to everyday activities).

RESULTS: The postoperative complication rates were similar for the two meshes. Pain was significantly less common in group 1 than in group 2 at 1 month (P = 0.029) but was similar for the two groups at 6 months and 1 year. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the average use of analgesics: 6.1 days in group 1 versus 1.6 days in group 2 (P < 0.001). The lightweight group returned to everyday activities after 6.9 days versus 9.7 days for the composite group (P < 0.001). The rate of recurrence did not differ between the two groups at the 2-year follow-up evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS: The light titanium-covered polypropylene mesh was associated with less postoperative pain in the short term, lower analgesic consumption, and a quicker return to everyday activities than the Parietex composite medium-weight mesh. The recurrence rates at 2 years showed no difference between the two groups.