To observe the trend of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the peritoneum and surrounding tissues at different times after preperitoneal space mesh repair surgery in rats with incisional hernia, and to analyze the effect of the implanted mesh on postoperative repair.

Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group (n=8), an incisional hernia model group (n=8), and groups at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-hernia preperitoneal space mesh repair surgery (n=8 each). A polypropylene mesh was implanted in the preperitoneal space of the rats in the hernia mesh repair groups. The normal group's regular peritoneum and surrounding tissues, and the incisional hernia model and hernia mesh repair groups' peritoneum and surrounding tissues near the incision were taken for RT-PCR to obtain the relative expression levels of bFGF mRNA.

Compared with the normal group, the expression of bFGF mRNA in the peritoneum and surrounding tissues significantly increased in the incisional hernia model group and the 1-week post-hernia mesh repair group (P<0.01). The differences were not significant compared to the normal group for the remaining groups (P>0.05). Compared with the incisional hernia model group, there was no significant difference in the 1 and 4 weeks post-repair groups (P>0.05), while the expression of bFGF mRNA in the peritoneum and surrounding tissues decreased at 8 and 12 weeks post-repair, with a significant difference (P<0.05). Comparing different time points within the hernia mesh repair group, the expression of bFGF mRNA decreased at 8 and 12 weeks post-repair compared to the 1-week post-repair group, with a significant difference (P<0.05); there was no significant difference among the other groups (P>0.05).

During incisional hernia mesh repair of the preperitoneal space, surgical trauma may be the main factor that stimulates the production of bFGF in the peritoneum and its surrounding tissues, and this reaction is most obvious in the first week after surgery. Theoretically, polypropylene meshes can be used as carrier of bFGF for slow release, but this study did not suggest that there is an obvious effect, which may need to be confirmed by further research.