Close to 50 pelvic mesh lawsuits against Bard have recently come to an end, according to U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

The vaginal mesh lawsuits, alleging various injuries from C.R. Bard Inc.’s pelvic mesh devices, were “compromised and settled,” along with claims against other pelvic mesh makers.

As a result, the pelvic mesh lawsuits were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the claims can never be revisited. Details of the agreements were not disclosed.

Judge Goodwin is overseeing the seven separate MDLs in West Virginia federal court in West Virginia.

The recently ended pelvic mesh lawsuits claimed Bard was liable for marketing and selling defective mesh devices that were responsible for internal injuries. Approximate of 10,000 cases against Bard remain in the MDL.

These pelvic mesh lawsuits are a fraction of the lawsuits filed, which total roughly 100,000 lawsuits filed against pelvic mesh makers Ethicon (a Johnson & Johnson division), Bard, and Boston Scientific Corporation combined.

Thousands of women in these pelvic mesh lawsuits have similarly claimed that after receiving the pelvic mesh implant, they have suffered injuries that include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Organ perforation
• Inability to engage in sexual intercourse
• Pelvic pain or severe vaginal pain
• Vaginal scarring
• Fistulas
• Erosion of mesh through the vagina
• Recurrent incontinence or prolapse
• Need for corrective surgery
• Urinary tract infections
• Neuromuscular problems

Spouses of some of the plaintiffs have even included loss of consortium as an allegation in their pelvic mesh lawsuits.

Studies support the claims made by women in their pelvic mesh lawsuits. Research has shown that surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse can cause complications such as mesh erosion, infection, pain, bleeding, organ perforation, pain during sex, and urinary problems.

Treating stress urinary incontinence with a mesh sling also can result in complications, including infection, pain, and mesh erosion. However, research suggests that complications are less severe and less frequent compared to complications associated with transvaginal mesh repair of POP.

FDA Warns About Pelvic Mesh Complications

Pelvic mesh, also known as vaginal mesh, is used for transvaginal mesh surgery and bladder slings, is a medical device that is generally used to repair weakened or damaged tissue, specifically in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI). It is made from either porous synthetic material or biologic material.

Pelvic mesh devices were approved by the FDA in 1996 for stress urinary incontinence procedures and in 2002 for pelvic organ prolapse. In 2008, the FDA warned of potentially serious complications associated with surgical pelvic mesh placed through the vagina to treat POP and SUI.

Then in 2016, the FDA reclassified pelvic mesh devices similar to the ones involved in the MDL as high-risk devices. As such, they must pass the agency’s strictest safety evaluation before going to market.

Pelvic Mesh Lawsuits

In 2013, Bard was the first pelvic mesh manufacturer in the MDL to face a jury trial and was found guilty, with a $2 million verdict.

If you have suffered physical or emotional injury after receiving a pelvic mesh implant, you most likely have a case against the manufacturer. Call an experienced pelvic mesh attorney for a free consultation and find out what your next steps should be.

The Pelvic Mesh MDL is In Re: C.R. Bard Inc. Pelvic Repair Systems Product Liability Litigation, MDL 2187, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.