Fla. Woman Sues Ethicon LLC for Vaginal Mesh Injuries

Florida plaintiff Eugenia Perkins is suing Ethicon LLC for the injuries she allegedly sustained from their vaginal mesh implant, the Gynemesh PS. Perkins alleges that as a direct result of the product, she suffered from various injuries, including vaginal mesh erosion.

According to the vaginal mesh lawsuit, the product was initially implanted into Perkins on Dec. 10, 2003, to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Her specific condition was not specified in the short form complaint. Following the procedure, she started suffering from debilitating pain in her lower abdomen.

After a medical exam, she was diagnosed with vaginal mesh erosion, mesh tearing and tissue infection in the surgical area.  Perkins had to undergo revision surgery to correct these problems. Perkins is suing Ethicon for being directly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing and marketing a dangerous product.  The charges in her vaginal mesh lawsuit include negligence, false advertising, misrepresenting a product and concealing information.

Overview of Vaginal Mesh Complications

The Gynecare Prolift (Gynecare PS) is a vaginal mesh implant made up of biologically-safe absorbable plastic fibers, which is inserted into the damaged tissue area in the lower pelvic region. It is one of the most popular vaginal mesh systems from Ethicon LLC, and is typically used to treat POP The Gynecare PS was introduced to the United States market in March 2005 and was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) with an expedited approval process that does not require pre-market testing.

Vaginal mesh products were first approved and created in the 1990s to treat women suffering from POP and SUI.  While these products were widely regarded as a success because they allowed women to treat their conditions discretely, they have been associated with a number of significant complications. In 2008, the FDA issued a Public Health Notification regarding reports of serious complications associated with transvaginal mesh devices used to repair pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. In 2011, the agency updated the warning after receiving more than 1,000 adverse event reports from surgical mesh manufacturers such as Ethicon.

According to the FDA vaginal mesh safety alert, some of the serious complications associated with Ethicon’s vaginal mesh implants include:

• Pelvic and urinary pain
• Pain during intercourse
• Vaginal scarring
• Mesh erosion through the vaginal lining
• An increased risk of infection
• Puncturing of the blood vessels, bowels, bladder, and recurrence of SUI

Women across the nation who have used these vaginal mesh implants have reported these and other complications to the FDA. Thousands of women are suing Ethicon LLC and other vaginal mesh manufacturers. Perkins’s vaginal mesh lawsuit is part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) movement against Ethicon, joining other women who suffered similar vaginal mesh complications. She is seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering and punitive damages.

The vaginal mesh implant MDL is 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.

File a Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit Today

If you had revision surgery to repair damage caused by vaginal mesh, or you have surgery scheduled, you may qualify for compensation. Please visit the Vaginal Mesh Sling Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. You can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned vaginal mesh lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The vaginal mesh attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.