• Negin Fadaee, Laura Mazer, Rajeev Sharma, Isabel Capati, Bonnie Balzer, and Shirin Towfigh.
• University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2019 May 1; 228 (5): 776-781.

BackgroundHernia mesh removal is growing in demand. Meanwhile, there is no standard for handling the mesh specimen or any consensus on the clinical value of the surgical pathology findings.Study DesignAll hernia mesh specimens gathered from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed. Patients were categorized based on indication for mesh removal. The "mesh reaction" group included those with clinical reaction deemed to be related to the mesh material. The "mesh nonreaction" group included patients who had mesh removed for a clinical indication unrelated to the mesh material.ResultsOne hundred and one patients had 115 mesh specimens that were microscopically evaluated. Patients with clinical diagnosis of mesh reaction were significantly younger (39 vs 56 years; p = 0.023) and more likely to be female (71% vs 39%; p < 0.001) than those without mesh reaction. Although the clinical symptoms were significantly different, the pathology findings were quite similar.ConclusionsThere is no clinical value in submitting mesh specimens for microscopic surgical pathology evaluation, regardless of clinical indication for the mesh removal. Also, no clinical claims can be made based on pathology findings from explanted mesh. In addition, microscopic evaluation does incur additional costs to the consumer. We recommend explanted mesh be submitted for gross examination only for documentation purposes in the medical records.Copyright © 2019 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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