Titanisation

Already 15 years ago, pfmmedical was able to transfer the benefits of titanium onto a flexible and elastic base material, in particular onto a polypropylene mesh.²

During the patented manufacturing stage of titanisation, the carbon in the titanium-containing layer undergoes covalent bonding with a Type 1a polypropylene mesh. Covalent bonding means that there is a bond at the atomic level.

Titanisation results in a hydrophilic (“water-loving”) surface. With titanisation, the originally hydrophobic (“water-repellent”) surface of the polypropylene becomes hydrophilic. A simple test with a water drop will demonstrate this.

On hydrophobic surfaces the water drop will become circumscribed. On titanised and thus hydrophilic surfaces the water drop will disperse.

Unlike on polypropylene surfaces, fibroblasts on titanised surfaces are more energetic and grow better.³

Every implant triggers an inflammatory reaction. The smaller the reaction, the better the body will tolerate the implant.⁴

The following figures compare the marker protein levels of inflammatory cells (macrophages and B-lymphocytes) after implantation of various hernia meshes in an animal model. The titanised hernia mesh TiMESH demonstrates the lowest levels of these proteins specific for inflammation.

In general, the stronger the inflammation, the thicker the scar. Since the inflammatory reaction of titanised meshes is smaller than for non-titanised polypropylene meshes, less scarring will take place.⁵

This has one important consequence: Since the scar tissue encapsulating the mesh will shrink less over time, this also holds true for the mesh.^6,7

Our immune system becomes active whenever it detects foreign bodies. One such example might be proteins displaying unnatural shapes. For example, hydrophilic proteins such as albumins will take on such unnatural shapes whenever they bind to hydrophobic surfaces. This change in shape activates the cells of the immune system, e.g. macrophages and B-lymphocytes. These cells power the inflammatory response terminating in the formation of scar tissue.

Hydrophilic proteins, however, bind to hydrophilic surfaces with very little change in shape. The cells of the immune system are activated far less and the inflammatory response is not as marked.

Since the immune system receives a weaker signal to trigger the inflammatory response, scar tissue formation and mesh shrinkage are less pronounced^5,6,7 and the surrounding tissue will be better incorporated into the mesh. The outstanding implant ingrowth characteristic lessens the foreign body sensation.

Titanisation with its better compabitility is used to improve patient outcome and quality of life: as titanised mesh in general and visceral surgery, breast surgery and pelvic floor reconstruction.