Another complaint has been added to the mounting pelvic mesh lawsuits filed against Ethicon (a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson), alleging that it fraudulently concealed the dangers of transvaginal mesh devices and violated consumer protection laws.

According to the Transvaginal Mesh MDL, Ethicon negligently manufactured and sold defective and unreasonably dangerous products, withholding information from consumers and the medical community about the risk that transvaginal mesh may erode through the vagina, causing infections and other injuries.

Among the most recent surgical mesh lawsuits filed is that of an Alabama woman. Plaintiff Melinda T. filed the vaginal mesh lawsuit in the West Virginia federal court, joining the pending vaginal mesh multidistrict litigation.

Melinda contends that the transvaginal mesh device implanted surgically in February 2012 was negligently designed, thereby causing serious side effects such as mesh pain, mesh erosion, organ damage, and other vaginal mesh complications.

Complications & Side Effects of Vaginal Mesh

Transvaginal mesh, vaginal mesh, surgical mesh or bladder slings are medical devices that are surgically implanted to treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and/or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). Transvaginal mesh surgery is supposed to strengthen the internal organs and prevent them from coming into contact with each other by implanting the mesh device.

However, many women have reported adverse vaginal mesh complication regarding their implant. Vaginal mesh can begin to erode through the vaginal walls or other organs within weeks or months after surgery. These transvaginal mesh injuries can hinder any number of activities, including sitting, walking and sexual intercourse.

The physical and emotional harm can affect a woman’s work, relationships and daily activities. Some experts argue that the surgical mesh is not safe for transvaginal placement and was not properly tested before being implanted into women. Symptoms of vaginal mesh failure include:

• Urinary incontinence
• Abdominal pain
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Bleeding

Ethicon Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits

Many women, like Melinda, who experienced vaginal mesh complications, have had to undergo multiple revision surgeries to attempt to manage symptoms and have since filed vaginal mesh lawsuits against the device manufacturers.

These manufacturers face tens of thousands of federal lawsuits consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia under Chief Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Additionally, thousands more are pending in state courts.

Currently, there are more than 60,000 federal vaginal mesh lawsuits against seven mesh manufacturers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia under Chief Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. The device manufacturers with the most vaginal mesh lawsuits are Ethicon and American Medical Systems. Other manufacturers with pending surgical mesh lawsuits include: Boston Scientific, C.R. Bard, Coloplast, Cook Medical and Neomedic.

The Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-02113, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Charleston Division and the Ethicon Transvaginal Mesh MDL is In re: Ethicon, Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2327, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.