A resident of the state of New York alleges in a new Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit that his mesh was defective, leading to serious injuries.

The plaintiff, John L., says he was implanted with a Physiomesh device from Ethicon on Nov. 12, 2014. The Physiomesh device was meant to treat an incisional hernia. Not only did the device fail to alleviate the problems of his incisional hernia, he claims, it actually made his condition worse. According to his Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit, he began experiencing persistent abdominal pain after the 2014 implantation.

Because of these injuries, John underwent a laparotomy to treat a small bowel obstruction, during which his Physiomesh device was removed. John’s surgeon noted that the device had caused some serious problems—“very extensive adhesion,” and even the “small bowel stuck to the mesh.” Despite this further surgery, John’s injuries were not fixed at this point. Another surgery was required not even two months later to repair further injuries.

According to the Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit, these complications were a direct result of defects in the mesh device. Although Ethicon was allegedly aware of these defects, the company didn’t issue a warning regarding problems with the popular Physiomesh device until May 25, 2016, John claims. The warning noted the defects of the Physiomesh mesh and advised a recall of the device, though it came far too late to prevent John’s injuries and surgeries.

The Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, design defect, failure to warn, manufacturing defect, breach of implied warranty, and punitive damages.

Physiomesh Device Background

The Physiomesh device involved in this lawsuit was manufactured by Ethicon, a prominent subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ethicon’s Physiomesh product back in March 2010. The Physiomesh device has rapidly grown in popularity.

Unfortunately, Ethicon’s Physiomesh has become associated with a number of serious side effects.

Physiomesh Side Effects

Patients who are implanted with Physiomesh may experience a number of serious complications, including but not limited to the following:

• Chronic pain
• Hernia recurrence
• Rejection of the mesh
• Infection
• Device migration
• Scarring
• Inflammation
• Organ adhesion
• Erosion
• Tissue and nerve damage
• Death

Initial complications of this device, such as device migration, can lead to more serious problems like Physiomesh infection, adhesion, and device failure. Ethicon withdrew its Physiomesh hernia mesh product from the market due to a high rate of failure and complications.

Filing an Ethicon Hernia Mesh Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered from Physiomesh complications like these after undergoing hernia repair, even months after the fact, you may be able to file a Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit and seek compensation for your injuries.

While filing a Ethicon hernia mesh lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by device failure or other injuries, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

The Ethicon Hernia Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-03506-RWS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.