Court Orders New Protocols for Evidence in C.R. Bard Vaginal Mesh MDL

Vaginal mesh lawsuits linked to vaginal slings manufactured by C.R. Bard Inc. are moving forward in a multi-county litigation currently in the New Jersey Atlantic County Superior Court.

The New Jersey Superior Court issued a new Consent Order for the purpose of setting up protocols to preserve and test vaginal mesh implants that have been removed from patients as well as tissue samples to be used in the bellwether vaginal mesh lawsuits.

The first of the vaginal mesh bellwether trials is set to begin on September 23, 2013.

The new consent order will make sure that the medical evidence intended to be used as evidence on behalf of the plaintiffs in the vaginal mesh lawsuits is properly preserved.

Vaginal mesh slings are implanted to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

SUI is the leaking of urine when there is a “stress event,” which can include coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting — in other words, anything that puts pressure on the abdomen. This occurs as the result of weakened pelvic muscles and connective tissue that support the bladder and urethra. There can be several causes of SUI including pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, obesity, smoking, and previous pelvic surgery. Over 15 million Americans suffer from SUI.

POP develops in women due to child birth, a hysterectomy, or menopause. During childbirth the muscles and ligaments are stretched and can tear causing them to become too weak to hold the organs in place. As a result, the bottom of the uterus, the floor of the bladder, the rectum or all three can sag and even protrude into the vagina. This is POP. Vaginal mesh slings are implanted to hold the organs in place where the muscles have failed.

The most common side effects suffered as a result of vaginal mesh implants are mesh erosion through vaginal tissue, infection, pain, urinary problems, and recurrence of prolapse. There were also injuries reported that occurred while the vaginal mesh was inserted, including bowel, bladder, and blood vessel perforation or puncture.

After receiving almost 3,000 complaints of vaginal mesh side effects between 2008 and 2010, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration reported that complications with vaginal mesh implants were not rare as they had once reported.

There have been a growing number of vaginal mesh lawsuits since 2011, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning concerning a five-fold increase in vaginal mesh injuries. The frequency of vaginal mesh injuries had increased since the FDA’s initial warning.

If you or someone you know has had similar side effects or symptoms caused by a transvaginal mesh, bladder sling or vaginal sling implant, legal options are available to you. Learn more and get a free legal consultation regarding a claim’s eligibility at the Vaginal Mesh Sling Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Experienced legal professionals have access to medical experts to assess whether or not a vaginal mesh implant may be playing a role in your current pain, discomfort or other serious side effects, so act now.