Acellular Dermal Matrix for Surgical Repair of Ventral Hernia in Horses

The aim of the present study was to evaluate acellular dermal matrix (ADM) of rat origin for the repair of ventral hernia in horses. The skin from rats, to be used as a graft, was de-epithelialized using hypertonic solution and further decellularized with 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate and 0.25% tri-(n-butyl)-phosphate. Under general anesthesia, the hernial ring was exposed and repaired with the ADM graft using inlay graft technique. Blood samples were collected at postimplantation days 0, 15, and 30 and were used for sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis to assess the serum protein concentration of the animals, as well as for gelatin zymography for the identification of matrix metalloproteinases. All animals had an uneventful recovery without clinical signs of wound dehiscence, infection, or recurrence of hernias during 6-month follow-up period. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of concentration of the serum proteins revealed that this was increased at day 15 and had decreased again at day 30. Gelatin zymography showed only one major band of 92 kDa in the serum of all the horses with the implant, but the relative amount of 92 kDa was higher at day 15 as compared with day 0 and day 30. It may be concluded that ADM of rat origin can be used safely in horses for repair of ventral hernia.