- University of Sheffield researchers have led a major new study into the stability of polypropylene mesh (PP mesh) - the material at the centre of the vaginal mesh scandal that left thousands of women with life-changing complications
- Study in animal models found PP mesh fibres become stiffer and showed signs of degradation 60 days after implantation
- Researchers also discovered PP mesh particles in tissue surrounding the implantation site
- Findings provide new evidence of the material's instability and could be used to help design safe alternatives
New evidence of the failings of the material at the centre of the vaginal mesh scandal has been revealed by a major study by researchers at the University of Sheffield.
The study, published in the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, suggests that polypropylene mesh - that was widely used to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse often experienced by women after childbirth - can begin to degrade within 60 days of being implanted.
An international team of scientists, led by Sheffield, studied the material in sheep and found that PP mesh fibres began to degrade before 60 days, becoming stiffer and showing signs of oxidation. This degradation increased further in materials implanted for up to 180 days. Sheep models were studied due to their pelvic anatomy closely resembling humans'.
