Prophylactic onlay reinforcement with absorbable mesh (polyglactin) is associated with less early wound complications after kidney transplantation: A preliminary study

Abstract Incidence of wound complications after kidney transplantation (KTx) is still considerable. Here, we report the impact of prophylactic absorbable polyglactin (Vicryl®) mesh reinforcement on the incidence of short‐term post‐KTx wound complications. Sixty‐nine patients were analyzed; 23 with and 46 without preventive onlay mesh reinforcement. Surgical site infections (SSI) were seen in six (26%) patients in the mesh group and in 17 (37%) patients in no‐mesh group. A lower, but not statistically significant, rate of early postoperative wound complications occurred in the mesh group. Wound complications were observed in seven (30%) patients in the mesh group and in 23 (50%) patients in the no‐mesh group. There was no association between mesh placement and SSI incidence (odds ratios [OR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20–1.82, p = 0.369) and wound complications (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.15–1.26, p = 0.126). Therefore, we conclude that mesh reinforcement does not increase the risk of SSI and overall wound complications. Long‐term outcomes have to be evaluated in a randomized trial setting. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 108B:67–72, 2020.