Answer:
Marlex and Prolene meshes are both made out of polypropylene. Goretex is made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
There are a number of studies examining the various surgical meshes. The advantages of marlex or prolene are that the rate of serious complications- fistula, perforation – are rare, but minor complications such as seromas, or misfeelings and decreased abdominal wall mobility occur in about one half of patients. This prompted a group from Germany in 1998 to compare the used of the commercially available Prolene mesh to two newly constructed polypropylene mesh modifications that use reduced amounts of polypropylene – 64% and 25 % of the amount in a standard prolene mesh. It was felt that even with a reduction to 25 % of the original prolene content, the abdominal wall was equally stable, and a reduced degree of fibrosis could possibly relieve the feeling of abdominal wall restriction in patients.
In one study comparing Marlex and Goretex with respect to adhesion formation and strength, it was found that abdominal wall reconstruction with Goretex resulted in wound strength equal to that of Marlex, but with fewer adhesions.
A more recent variation on these includes coating Marlex mesh with adhesion barriers such as Goretex, Interceed, and poloxamer, in an attempt to decrease adhesion formation when the mesh is placed directly on the peritoneum. Interceed and poloxamer decreased the amount of adhesions, Goretex did not. However, poloxamer also decreased tensile strength of the mesh, so that the best option was the Interceed-coated Marlex, where adhesions were reduced but tensile strength was not.
More recently, biodegradable substances such as knitted polypropylene, knitted PTFE, molded polygalactin mesh were evaluated for bursting strength, fibrous tissue incorporation, and inflammatory reaction, when compared to a vascularized flap of external oblique fascia. Polypropylene and PTFE meshes were similar in bursting strength and not greatly different from controls at 3 and 12 weeks. At 3 weeks, polygalactin had bursting strength comparable to controls but was significantly weaker by 12 weeks. Fibrous tissue incorporation within the mesh fibers was better with PTFE mesh than with polypropylene mesh. Adequate fibrous tissue incorporation into polygalactin mesh did not occur before hydrolysis, making this an unsatisfactory material for permanent abdominal wall reconstruction.