[The use of autologous dermis in the treatment of incisional hernia].

Incisional hernia is a relatively frequent complication of laparotomy. In reconstruction of large abdominal wall defects prosthetic meshes have come to play a leading role. However, they carry a high risk of infection and are poorly effective in restoring perfect chest-wall function. In order to achieve a better result we treated two cases of incisional hernia with a combined technique, namely, abdominoplasty with subcutaneous implantation of in-vitro cultured autologous dermis (Hialograft 3D). As described in the literature, we noticed that this kind of implant integrates perfectly with the receiving tissues with no sign of rejection or reabsorbtion. It provides good support for the abdominal wall with excellent elastic properties that make for better restoration of chest-wall function compared to prosthetic implants. Two years after the operation there are no signs of recurrence. The high cost and the time needed for culturing the fibroblasts are the main drawbacks of this technique. Despite the very small sample size and short follow-up, the encouraging results obtained to date justify further study.