3D printing and development of computational models of biodegradable meshes for pelvic organ prolapse

PurposeDevelop biodegradable meshes as a novel solution to address issues associated with using synthetic meshes for POP repair.Design/methodology/approachComputational models were created with variations in the pore geometry, pore size, filament thickness, and inclusion of filaments around specific mesh regions. Subsequently, one of the meshes was 3D printed to validate the results obtained from the simulations. Following this, a uniaxial tensile test was carried out on the vaginal tissue of a sow to compare with the simulations, to identify meshes that displayed behaviour akin to vaginal tissue. Finally, the most promising outcomes were compared with those of the uterosacral ligament and a commercially available mesh.FindingsFollowing a comprehensive analysis of the results, the mesh that most accurately replicates the behaviour of the vaginal tissue showcases a smaller pore diameter (1.50 mm), filaments in specific areas of the mesh, and variable filament thickness across the mesh. Nevertheless, upon comparing the outcomes with those of the uterosacral, the meshes do not exhibit similar behaviour to the ligament. Finally, the commercially available mesh does not represent the behaviour of both the vaginal tissue and the uterosacral ligament and in this sense may not be the best treatment option for POP repair.Originality/valueTheir biocompatibility and biomechanical properties make them a potential solution to the disadvantages of synthetic meshes. Personalized/customized meshes could be part of the future of surgical POP repair.