TiMesh® Titanized Polymers

Titanized mesh for medical treatment of inguinal and incisional hernias

KEY FEATURES:

• Covalent bonded titanized surface
• Excellent biocompatibility⁸
• Light weight, large pore size >1mm
• Laser cut edges
• Minimized shrinking of titanized mesh compared to other synthetic materials⁸
• Excellent handling characteristics
• Intraperitoneal or extraperitoneal placement²
• Over 250,000 implanted worldwide⁹

TiMesh® is a monofilament, composite mesh combining polypropylene with a covalent bonded titanized surface. TiMesh® is available in three different weights: Extra Light (16 g/m2), Light (35 g/m2), and Strong (65 g/m2). The Light is one of the lightest meshes on the market and Extra Light is the lightest mesh available today. TiMesh® titanized polymers were designed specifically to these mesh properties: inertness, molecular permeability, pliability, transparency, mechanical integrity and biocompatibility.

PROPERTIES OF TIMESH® TITANIZED POLYMERS

INERTNESS: TiMesh® is a composite mesh comprised of polypropylene and titanium. Both materials have widespread usage in implantation surgery.

MOLECULAR PERMEABILITY (pores/openings): A mesh material should be permeable for rapid fibrinous fixation of the mesh to the host tissue². This reduces the risk of seroma formation by eliminating the potential space between the mesh and the host tissue². TiMesh's thinness (0.3mm for Light and 0.2mm for Extra Light) means the mesh is characterized by excellent handling properties.^8,6

PLIABILITY: Because TiMesh® is light weight and thin, it is extremely pliable (flexible). The rigidity and thickness are important determining factors in a surgeon's decision making because these factors impact conformability. The conformability determines the distance between the mesh-tissue interface. TiMesh® will conform around the anatomy leaving the area as pliable as normal tissue⁵.

TRANSPARENCY: TiMesh® is extremely transparent. This is due to the interstice (pore) size and because it is light weight (contributes to thinness). It is important to be able to see through the mesh when determining mesh coverage of the defect as well as for placing sutures or tacks.

MECHANICAL INTEGRITY: Even though TiMesh® is light weight, this does not mean it is more susceptible to failure. The main task of the biomaterials used for hernia repair is to strengthen the abdominal wall. However, the mesh and the resulting tissue reaction should not reduce the mobility and flexibility of the abdominal wall. The human abdominal wall fails at a load of 16 Newtons when the intra-abdominal pressure is 20kPa4. This results in a minimum load criterion for a hernia repair material assuming it is well fixed to the surrounding tissue. The Extra-light and Light TiMesh® materials are able to maintain tensile loads of up to 26 and 47 Newtons, respectively, prior to failure⁶.

BIOCOMPATIBILITY: TiMesh® demonstrates a high degree of biocompatibility. This is because of the titanium surface as well as the reduced amount of material. Optimal mesh features include those with a low potential for reactivity and inflammatory response.²

2. Schug-Pass et al Surgical Endosoopy A lightwieight polypropylene mesh for laparoscopic repair intraperitonieal repair fo abdominal wall hernias: comparison of biocompatibiltiy with the dualMesh in an experimental study sising the porcine model. Surgical Endoscopy 2006 20: 402-409
4. Horstmann, et al, Impact of polypropylene Amount on Functional Outcome and Quality of Life after Inguinal Hernia Repair. World Journal of Surgery, 1742-1749 8/2006
5. Hollinsky, Christian, et al Biomechanical Properties of Lightweight Meshes versus Heavy Weight for laproscopic Inguinal hernia Repair, Surgical Endoscopy, 2008
6. Data on File: Biomet Biologics
8. Surgical Endoscopy (2004) 18: 211-220In vivo studies comparing the biocompatibility of various polypropylene meshes and their handling properties during endoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) patchplasty H. Scheidbach, C. Tamme, A. Tannapfel, H. Lippert, F. Köckerling
9. Data on File at Biomet, Inc

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