The historical development of prosthetics in hernia surgery.

Since the time of Bassini, surgeons have looked for techniques and applicable prostheses to improve the results of hernia surgery. This article records the historical parade of biomaterials used in this endeavor from the earliest use of sliver wire coils to the current popular prostheses in use today, each prosthesis is reviewed with respect to its introduction, popularization, clinical use, and ultimate failure. Current prosthetic biomaterials are compared in detail. The quest for the ideal material to reinforce or bridge abdominal wall defects is discussed.