Bladder sling removal surgery is not uncommon for women who have experienced pelvic mesh failure.

Pelvic mesh has been used to treat a condition known as stress urinary incontinence. Women who have a weakened pelvic floor leak urine when they cough, sneeze or exercise because the muscles that support the bladder are not as strong as they used to be. Giving birth to a child can result in a weak pelvic floor.

After receiving a pelvic mesh implant, a woman’s stress urinary incontinence is supposed to improve.

Bladder Sling Removal Surgery Due to Pelvic Mesh Failure

Ethicon is the maker of a pelvic mesh line of products that has a high rate of bladder sling removal surgery necessary due to numerous problems.

High failure rates, high complication rates, failure to perform as intended, and severe, irreversible injuries are among the allegations that have been aimed at Ethicon.

Ethicon’s mesh is made of a polypropylene material that can cause an immune reaction that results in injuries. In some mesh products, polypropylene is mixed with monocryl, a partially dissolvable mesh that increases the risk of an immune reaction and an inflammatory response, necessitating the bladder sling removal.

Critics say the mesh’s design allows too much friction between the mesh and underlying tissue, causing the tissue itself to degrade. Because the product is designed to be inserted transvaginally, the mesh becomes in contact with high levels of bacteria, yeast, and fungus that adhere to the mesh. Adverse reactions and injuries result when the immune system reacts, breaking down the surrounding tissue.

The risk of pelvic mesh adverse side effects is reportedly heightened because the doctor inserting the mesh does so without seeing the mesh’s path to its final destination, increasing the chance of nerve damage and damage to other internal organs.

Scar tissue can form around and through the porous mesh, resulting in mesh contraction. This can lead to nerve damage and pain, erosion of the mesh into nearby organs, and failure of the device, leading to bladder sling removal.

The mesh allegedly has a tendency to become deformed when under prolonged tension in the body. Other problems that can lead to bladder sling removal include the mesh matting against delicate and sensitive vaginal and pelvic areas, causing pain upon normal activities such as walking or defacating.

In looking at evidence from 1996 through 2011, the FDA in July 2011 concluded that “a mesh procedure may put the patient at risk for requiring additional surgery or for the development of new complications. Removal of the mesh due to mesh complications may involve multiple surgeries ad significantly impair the patient’s quality of life. Complete removal of mesh might not be possible.”

If you or someone you love has endured a bladder sling removal surgery due to pelvic mesh complications, you could benefit from speaking with an attorney about your options for possible compensation.