Ventana benchmark special stains system

Full-thickness (mesh and abdominal wall muscle) samples of 1.0 Â 0.5 cm were collected in-between sutures. All samples were fixated in 4% formalin for 24 h. Next, the fixated samples were embedded in paraffin. Sections of 4 mm were cut (Leica RM2255 microtome; Leica Biosystems, Wetzlar, Germany) and stained with Sirius Red (Ventana Benchmark Special Stains system; Hoffmann-La Roche, Bazel, Switzerland) or hematoxylin and eosin staining (Ventana Symphony automated staining instrument; Hoffman-La Roche, Bazel, Switserland). All histological evaluations were performed by a pathologist (MCvG) who was blinded for the type of mesh. The inflammatory cell reaction was evaluated by counting the amount of cells per highpower field (40Â magnification), using a scoring system described by Peeters et al. (Supplementary Materials,Table 4). 20 Mesh-specific parameters were evaluated using a modified scoring system assessing scaffold degradation, fibrous encapsulation, cellular infiltration, and neovascularization (Supplementary Materials,Table 5). 20 Collagen deposition, as visualized by Sirius Red staining, around the mesh and abdominal wall were evaluated using a scoring system described by Deeken et al. (Supplementary Materials,Table 6). 21 Statistical analysis