 Support of a ventral hernia repair with a prosthetic mesh has been demonstrated to result in a diminished rate of hernia recurrence. The patient with co-morbidities undergoing hernia repair is at increased risk of wound related complications, which may be exacerbated by the choice of prosthetic mesh, and which are known to influence the ultimate rate of hernia recurrence. It is hypothesized that patients receiving a mesh of biologic origin may experience fewer wound related complications and hence at least an equal rate of hernia recurrence, compared to those receiving a synthetic mesh. 