[Animal Modeling]-A critical review of all available animal models in the study of abdominal wall hernia

  Introduction: The ideal patch should be adapted to the current needs of every patient in the current clinical environment. In order to provide patches to most patients, various patch concepts continue to grow. For example, patch grids (prosthesis or biological origin), shapes (flat patches, plugs and 3D patches), different light and heavy materials, and different coatings can be used. With more and more data assessing the feasibility of new patches, the ultimate goal is to improve patient prognosis. Although clinical research is the best way to evaluate new plaques, long-term biocompatibility and strength evaluation still requires preclinical animal models. In particular, certain important patch properties (such as inflammation, shrinkage, growth, remodeling, and patch adhesion formation) can only be studied through experimental models, and patients cannot evaluate these important factors. However, it is important that different research groups use equivalent research methods to compare and replicate. However, past hernia model searches have encountered a variety of different models, and published animal studies of hernia surgery have few comparable hypotheses. To support this hypothesis, we conducted a systematic review of all animal models of hernia research from 2000 to 2014.

  Materials and methods: Literature retrieval: Systematic literature retrieval uses "EMBASE and PubMed". This search strategy aims to search all the literature on abdominal wall hernia surgery models. The literature search is carried out with the help of experienced university librarians. Research results: All parameters related to the studied animal model are scored in a standardized score sheet. All scoring parameters are listed in the supplementary data. First, evaluate the parameters of animal models including subspecies. In this article, gender, weight, and even previously published models are used for scoring. It is defined as an explicit reference to the same previously published animal model. Details of the model used afterwards. This includes the occurrence of insufficient hernias. Defect size (if applicable), patch location and embedded patch size results: This study has a total of 315 articles, of which 168 were rats (53.3%) and 66 of them were research subjects. Rabbits studied (21%), 53 pigs studied (16.8%). The remaining studies describe the use of mouse, guinea pig, primate, dog, goat, sheep and hamster models. Mouse model: A total of 168 articles describe that in addition to the mouse model, a total of 9,150 mice were used in 164 studies. The remaining four studies have not yet determined the number of animals. The average number of animals used in each study was 56. Three groups explained the reasons for using SD (78 studies, 46.4%) or Wistar rats (78 studies, 46.4%) in most articles. Two studies did not define subspecies, 66.7% of the 85.1% of the studies. Male rats were used, females used 16.7%, and females used 1.8%. Gender was not defined in the remaining studies (14.9%). Method: All rats were transplanted with open patches, and each animal received one (85.1%). (13.1%) or 3 (0.6%) patch. Most models include the establishment of actual hernia defects (121 articles, 72%), one study did not define defects, and the remaining models (46 articles, 27.4%)) hernia defects were not caused. The size of the defects varied from 0.5 to 18 square centimeters, with an average of 4.2 square centimeters (median 4). Place the patch on the defective bridge (49 bars, 29.2%), intraperitoneal (40 bars, 23.8%), subcutaneous (30 bars, 17.9%), inlays (20 bars, 11.9%) or preperitoneal ( 20 articles, 11.9%). 9 articles, accounting for 5.4%). The patch is cut to size. The median was 6 square centimeters (average 5.76 square centimeters, range 0.8-20 square centimeters); plaque size was not defined in 29 articles (17.3%). The article only mentions that the use rate of antibiotics to prevent infection during the perioperative period is 7.1% (12 studies). In these studies, the antibiotics used were penicillin, gentamicin and fluoroquinolone antibiotics (4 studies). Animal models other than mice were added to the analysis, and as many as 20.6% of articles described antibiotics. The most common use is cephalosporin antibiotics. In 15.5% of rat models, analgesics are used to relieve perioperative pain. In these 26 studies, opioid analgesics were most commonly used in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (2 articles, 1.2%), followed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (7 articles, 4.2%) or topical administration . Analgesics (5 articles, 3%).

  Discussion: A rigorous review of the literature revealed various patch models. In the past ten years, many different models, animal species, plaques and parameters have been evaluated, making it difficult to compare with each other. I don't know that the same model with all parameters is implemented by different centers. In other words, all centers are obviously using their own specific models. As existing and new patch concepts become more diverse, preclinical animal studies are required to evaluate the biocompatibility and efficacy of new patches before clinical application. In addition, many important patches can only be properly studied using animal models. However, in order for experimental research to have appropriate impact, the research published by different research groups must be comparable and repeatable. This study attempts to provide a systematic overview of patch studies in all available animal models. However, since we use many different animals, we decided to focus on only one animal. Large animal models (such as pigs) are most similar to humans, but more than 50% of hernia studies focus on rat models. Therefore, I decided to limit this overview and only elaborate on the rat model. This can be solved by a small animal model that combines preliminary experiments with immunohistochemistry. This can be tested in a large animal model similar to the anatomy of the human abdominal wall. The first problem to be solved is to use most male rats. Although both male and female patients suffer from incisional hernias, some clinical studies have shown that females are an independent risk factor, but almost all experimental studies have reported the use of only female rats. However, although one in seven authors did not report the sex of the animal, there is more and more information about the effect of sex on the results. We believe that the important factor in choosing a hernia model is that it is very similar to the human situation and follows the guiding principles of human hernia repair. One of the differences between the human condition and most hernia models is "hernia age". Most of the animal models described use acute hernia models, which produce defects during patch placement. Human hernias take a long time to mature and can change the outcome after surgery. In order to further increase the impact of animal studies on clinical practice, it is recommended that the guidelines for hernia surgery be converted to preclinical animal models. In order to further increase the impact of animal studies on clinical practice, it is recommended that the guidelines for hernia surgery be converted to preclinical animal models.