Many women, as they age, need a transvaginal mesh procedure done to aid with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). However, because of severe side effects, the need for pelvic mesh revision surgery has grown.

A transvaginal mesh, or pelvic mesh, procedure is done to aid women who experience a weakening of their pelvic muscles and need more support, usually due to childbirth or age.

The mesh is a medical device usually made of polypropylene that is inserted transvaginally, or through the vagina, and implanted in the pelvic wall for support. It is intended to permanently fix stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. The mesh is designed, over time, to grow into the wall of the pelvis, strengthening the connective tissue and providing support to weakened muscles.

Pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, is a condition in which, because of weak pelvic muscles, the bladder, uterus, rectum or bowels may sag. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a condition in which the urethra is weakened and the bladder leaks urine when pressure is increased in that area due to physical activity.

There are four types of pelvic mesh products available. Non-absorbable synthetic pelvic mesh devices are permanent and made from synthetic materials. They make up more than half of all transvaginal mesh products used in the United States.

Absorbable synthetic pelvic mesh devices are mesh devices that lose strength over time and are not designed to be permanent. As the mesh is absorbed by the body, tissue grows stronger to make the area stronger.

Biologic mesh devices are made from animal tissue and composite mesh devices are a combination of both natural tissue and synthetic material.

While this procedure may seem like a miracle for some women who experience the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse, because of severe complications, reports of women needing to undergo pelvic mesh revision surgery have increased.

Common side effects associated with transvaginal mesh procedures include bleeding and pain or discomfort. But thousands of patients have reported severe side effects to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over the last several years. Many of these complications have resulted in the need for pelvic mesh revision surgery.

Severe pelvic mesh complications include bleeding, pain, nerve damage, vaginal scarring, infection, vaginal shrinkage, painful sexual intercourse, neuro-muscular problems, mesh erosion and organ perforation.

Some of these are serious enough to require pelvic mesh revision surgery. If a mesh device obstructs the urethra, causes a fistula or injures the bowel, bladder, blood vessels or nerves, pelvic mesh revision surgery is often needed.

During a pelvic mesh revision surgery, the surrounding tissue must also be cut out and the area is stitched together by the surgeon. Sometimes, multiple rounds of a pelvic mesh revision surgery must be completed.

The rate of pelvic mesh revision surgery is relatively low — 2.2%, as reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2015. But because of severe complications in some cases, it can become a necessity.

If you or someone you love has experienced the need for pelvic mesh revision surgery, you may be entitled to legal compensation.