An Oregon man recently filed a new lawsuit claiming he has suffered serious injuries as a result of significant problems with hernia mesh manufactured by Ethicon.

The plaintiff, Steven B., says he was implanted with an Ethicon hernia mesh product on March 9, 2016. However, he alleges he began experiencing serious problems with the device shortly thereafter. Steven and many others like him have experienced problems with hernia mesh devices that have caused severe or long-lasting injuries. Some patients, like Steven, choose to pursue litigation over their problems with hernia mesh.

Steven filed his Ethicon lawsuit on Sept. 25, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including defective design, failure to warn, manufacturing defect, negligence, and others.

Hernia Mesh Device Basics

The hernia mesh 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 hernia mesh product, known as Physiomesh Flexible Composite Mesh, back in March 2010.

Ethicon marketed the Physiomesh device as a “sterile, low profile, flexible composite mesh designed for repair of hernias and other fascial deficiencies.” After its approval, the Physiomesh hernia mesh rapidly grew in popularity.

Unfortunately, after its approval and despite its popularity, Ethicon’s Physiomesh became associated with a number of serious side effects. In response to these risks, in May 2016, Ethicon withdrew its Physiomesh hernia mesh product from the market due to a high rate of Physiomesh failure and complications.

Problems With Hernia Mesh Devices

Patients may experience a number of serious problems with hernia mesh, including Ethicon’s Physiomesh device. Patients have reported experiencing, among others, the following problems with hernia mesh implants:

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

Initial problems with hernia mesh, such as device migration, can later lead to more serious problems like infection, adhesion, and device failure. In many cases, problems with hernia mesh are severe enough that patients are forced to undergo revision surgery to remove the device completely.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Problems With Hernia Mesh

If you or someone you love has suffered from problems with hernia mesh like these after undergoing hernia repair, even months after the fact, you may be able to file a Ethicon lawsuit and seek compensation for your injuries. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by problems with hernia mesh, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.

The Hernia Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-03723-RWS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.