A Missouri woman recently filed a vaginal mesh lawsuit against Boston Scientific Corporation, alleging that one of the company’s transvaginal mesh implant systems was faulty and that the company failed to warn her of the risks.

Plaintiff Paula R. had Boston Scientific’s Advantage Transvaginal Mid-Urethral Sling System implanted in 2008. After discovering it was defective and caused her injuries, Paula filed a vaginal mesh lawsuit in an attempt to partially compensate for her physical, emotional, and financial losses.

Paula’s vaginal mesh lawsuit brings claims of negligence, design defect, and failure to warn, among others.

What is a Vaginal Mesh Implant?

A vaginal mesh implant (or transvaginal mesh implant) is used to treat various conditions in women, including stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). These conditions generally occur following a hysterectomy, menopause, or childbirth.

Vaginal mesh holds up organs affected by POP or SUI in a manner resembling a hammock. Inserting the mesh vaginally is a quicker and easier process than inserting it through the abdomen, which is why many patients believe that it is the safer choice.

Though it may be less invasive during surgery, the thousands of women who have suffered from mesh erosion and organ perforation due to vaginal mesh implant defects might disagree.

Mesh erosion occurs when mesh breaks apart and passes through the vaginal wall, which causes bleeding, severe pain, infection, and even nerve damage. Organ perforation is not a separate complication, but instead is the second stage of mesh erosion. Once the mesh erodes through the vaginal wall, it can perforate other organs with its jagged edge.

Background of Vaginal Mesh Implant Complications

Many of the vaginal mesh products on the market today were approved based on a the design and approval of a similar product, the ProtoGen Sling, which was recalled due to safety issues in 1999. The FDA found the ProtoGen Sling had a “higher than expected rate of vaginal erosion.”

In 2008, the FDA reported that complications from transvaginal mesh used for POP treatment were rare. In 2011, however, the agency updated its statement to warn patients and doctors that such complications are not rare, and not limited to one product.

While many people choose to have these devices implanted because they believe the benefits to outweigh the risks, the FDA has indicated that this may not be the case.

In 2011, the FDA also reported that “it is not clear that transvaginal POP repair with mesh is more effective” than repair without mesh, and may even “expose patients to greater risk.”

Thousands of injured parties have filed transvaginal mesh lawsuits, and some have recovered millions of dollars in damages.

If you have experienced complications from vaginal mesh, you may have cause to file a vaginal mesh lawsuit.

The Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-13194, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.