Histological assessment of titanium and polypropylene fiber mesh implantation with and without fibrin tissue glue

Polypropylene (PP) and titanium (Ti) meshes are well-known surgical implants that provoke a relative low foreign body reaction. Firm stabilization of the implant is important to prevent migration and subsequent failure of the operation. Fibrin tissue glues are commercially available adhesives and are widely accepted and applied in the medical field for hemorrhage, surgical bleeding, support of wound healing, wound and tissue gluing, sealing, and closure but also as antiadhesive agent in certain applications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the additional histological effect of fibrin glue application combined with two different types of meshes. Six pieces of mesh of each were subcutaneously implanted for 3, 6, and 12 weeks, with and without fibrin glue. After excision, processing, and staining, light microscopic analysis was performed on the sections, using subjective histological description and histomorphometry. Capsule quality, capsule thickness, interstitial quality, and total score were evaluated. To compare the samples with glue and without glue, analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were carried out. No complications were observed. In general, the glue remnants remained visible at 3 and 6 weeks of implantation, accompanied by an inflammatory reaction and macrophage activity. At 12 weeks, all samples showed good tissue integration without evidence of glue. Evidently, the samples with glue demonstrated a prolonged inflammatory response and were surrounded by fibrous tissue capsules that were significantly thicker compared with the samples without glue (p < 0.05).