Metabolite-based Immunoregulatory Polymer Surgical Meshes for Pelvic Floor Reconstructive Surgery

Muscles of the pelvic floor provide support for the bladder, bowel, and female reproductive organs. People assigned female at birth often develop weakness in these muscles in their lifetime, often due to the stress they are placed under during pregnancy or childbirth. These weaknesses, referred to as pelvic floor disorders, can lead to significant pain, abnormal function of the bladder or bowel, and reduced sexual well-being. Approximately 10% of women require a surgical reconstruction of their pelvic floor in their lifetime. Many of these procedures use surgical mesh to support the muscles of the pelvic floor, and while they perform the goal of supporting the muscle, they can cause painful inflammation-driven complications in up to 10% of patients. A mesh material that achieves structural support for the pelvic floor with minimal complications is therefore desired. This unmet need will be addressed by building new surgical meshes to support pelvic floor muscles. They will be built from small molecules that can directly keep inflammation in check. To better inform our technology design, we will focus on investigating the inflammation in patients with complications experience. Our approach will improve on two known challenges of current meshes used in the clinic; providing properties that match the strength of the pelvic floor, and releasing small molecules that can target inflammation . Over 11,000 patients require the use of surgical meshes in Canada per year for pelvic organ repair; the proposed improved technologies have the potential to improve the quality of life for females receiving reconstructive pelvic floor surgery by reducing their risk for significant ongoing complications.