Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Ethicon, failed to provide adequate warnings about the safety of its vaginal mesh products, causing the unnecessary suffering of an Indiana woman and thousands of other women, according to a recent vaginal mesh lawsuit.

Plaintiff Shirley G. alleges that the Prosima vaginal mesh implanted surgically in April 2012 to treat an undisclosed medical condition was defectively manufactured and designed, causing serious vaginal mesh complications.

The vaginal mesh lawsuit accuses Ethicon of negligently manufacturing and selling defective and unreasonably dangerous products including the Prosima vaginal mesh device, and withholding information about the risks of vaginal mesh side effects, including infections and other injuries.

What is Vaginal Mesh?

Vaginal mesh, also known as transvaginal mesh or bladder sling, is a medical device that is surgically implanted to treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and/or Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI).

SUI typically occurs in women after childbirth due to muscle weakness in the pelvic area, causing urine to leak from the body during such normal activities such as coughing, laughing and exercising.

POP typically occurs in older women whose muscle and tissue groups in the uterus, bladder and pelvic region have become stretched and weakened. Women also have an increased risk of developing POP with menopause or a hysterectomy.

Vaginal mesh surgery is supposed to strengthen the internal organs and prevent them from coming into contact with each other.

Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon Women’s Health & Urology division is responsible for manufacturing many vaginal mesh devices. This division of Johnson & Johnson offers treatments for a variety of female pelvic and reproductive organ health conditions.

Brand names of Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon’s vaginal mesh devices include:

• Ethicon TVT
• Gynecare TVT
• Gynemesh PS
• Prolene Polypropylene Mesh Patch
• Secur
• Prosima

Possible Vaginal Mesh Complications

In January 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered the makers of vaginal mesh products to study the risks associated with the products.

The order came following the recommendation of an FDA advisory panel in September 2011. According to the FDA, between 2008 and 2010 the number of adverse events reports to the FDA about vaginal mesh increased five-fold.

Not all vaginal mesh products are affected by the FDA’s order. Those that are implanted through the abdomen are not included.

Vaginal mesh complications may include:

• Mesh erosion into the vagina, bladder, intestines and uterus
• Infection
• Pelvic pain or neuropathic pain
• Urinary problems, including incontinence
• Development of urinary retention
• Bowel, bladder, and blood vessel perforation during insertion
• Vaginal scarring
• Dyspareunia (pain with sexual relations)
• Fistulas and recurrence of prolapsed organs

Should You File a Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit?

Many women, like Shirley, who experienced vaginal mesh complications, have had to undergo multiple revision surgeries to attempt to manage symptoms and have opted to file a vaginal mesh lawsuit against the device manufacturers.

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. Additionally, thousands more are pending in state courts.

The device manufacturers with the most vaginal mesh lawsuits are Ethicon and American Medical Systems. Other manufacturers with pending vaginal mesh lawsuits include: Boston Scientific, C.R. Bard, Coloplast, Cook Medical and Neomedic.

If you were injured by an Ethicon vaginal mesh device, you may still have time to file a vaginal mesh lawsuit and receive compensation for your injuries. Thousands of women have suffered from chronic mesh pain, mesh erosion, infection, organ perforation, revision surgeries, and other serious vaginal mesh side effects.

An experienced dangerous medical device attorney can provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation and help you decide if filing a vaginal mesh lawsuit is right for you.

Shirley’s Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-05446 and is filed within the larger multidistrict litigation 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.