C.R. Bard is facing a new hernia mesh lawsuit, alleging the company’s XenMatrix mesh product had caused the claimant serious permanent injuries.

The hernia mesh lawsuit was filed by a woman from Georgia, who alleges C.R. Bard had marketed the XenMatrix mesh as a safe and reliable product for hernia repair but she had developed injuries soon after implantation.

This hernia mesh lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Sabrina S., who was recommended the XenMatrix mesh soon after being diagnosed with a ventral hernia.

On July 23, 2015, Sabrina underwent hernia repair surgery and had the XenMatrix AB Surgical Graft product implanted to treat her condition. However, Sabrina says she started experiencing chronic abdominal pain and sought medical treatment on Oct. 20, 2016.

Sabrina says she agreed to have the XenMatrix mesh product implemented only after she and her physician had reviewed Bard’s marketing materials. These advertisements claimed the XenMatrix mesh was made from a material that is biologically safe for patients called collagen scaffold.

Collagen scaffold is meant to promote healing, but has been allegedly causing numerous complications for patients based on the number injury reports submitted to the FDA, alleges the lawsuit. In fact, in April 2016, the FDA published an article regarding hernia mesh stating that “pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion and bowel obstruction” as the most common injuries associated with hernia mesh products and that patients were also at risk for mesh migration or mesh shrinkage.

According to the hernia mesh lawsuit, Sabrina has had to undergo several procedures to treat the complications related to the XenMatrix mesh and will most likely have to continue the healing process for some time to come.

Overview of Hernia Mesh Complications

The XenMatrix mesh and other hernia mesh products are often made with a material that is meant to induce swelling and inflammation in the abdominal wall, which helps promote healing. However, this can also cause infection.

Infection is often characterized by fever and nausea, with the incision site often emitting heat and not healing properly. If a hernia mesh infection is not treated promptly, then biofilms could potentially worsen and complicate the condition.

Biofilms are highly organized colonies of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and are only treatable by removing the object causing the infection. Bard allegedly knew about the potential complications the XenMatrix mesh could cause but failed to include this information on the product label.

According to the hernia mesh lawsuit, Sabrina had suffered permanent injuries that have compromised her quality of life. Sabrina is currently contending with the chronic complications caused by hernia mesh side effects and will most likely have to undergo further medical treatment and suffer further financial losses.

At all times relevant, Sabrina and her physician had relied on the marketing materials and product information provided by Bard. Sabrina states she would not have agreed to have the XenMatrix mesh implanted, if she had known about the potential device complications.

Sabrina’s hernia mesh lawsuit is seeking a multitude of damages for counts of negligence and failure to warn.

This Hernia Mesh Lawsuit is Case 2:18-cv-14159-ES-JAD, in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.