Inclusion Criteria:  Study group: patients with the presence of an active chronic mesh infection (non-healing sinus, exposed mesh, or mesh-related enteric fistulas) resulting from a previous repair, or the presence of an enteric/enteroatmospheric fistula, with or without an associated abdominal wall defect Control group: patients with a primary or recurrent ventral hernia without previous history of infection and eligible for clean operations  Exclusion Criteria:  giant ventral hernias with a volume ratio higher than 25% and loss of domicile patients on immunosuppressive therapy or using corticosteroids patients with portal hypertension patients with Chron´s disease acute postoperative mesh infection chronic mesh infections following inguinal hernia repair emergency operations.