A Missouri man has filed an Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuit against the medical device manufacturer, alleging his mesh device caused serious injuries.

The plaintiff, Larry J., was implanted with Ethicon’s Physiomesh Composite mesh device on May 16, 2012 in order to repair a ventral hernia he had suffered.

However, on Aug. 16, 2012—just a few months after the initial implantation of the device—Larry suffered from some serious complications, and was subsequently forced to undergo revision surgery in order to remove the implant. The revision surgery was deemed necessary because the implant had adhered to the wall of his abdomen.

During the revision surgery, doctors found that the mesh graft had become infected, and tissue surrounding the mesh was granulated, healing from a wound.

According to the Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuit, these complications were a direct result of the mesh device’s defective nature. Although Ethicon was allegedly aware of these defects, the company didn’t issue a warning until May 25, 2016, nearly four years after Larry’s injuries.

Ethicon’s “Urgent: Field Safety Notice” warned about the defects of the Physiomesh Composite Mesh, advising a recall of the device. This warning came far too late to prevent Larry’s injuries.

The Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including defective design, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, vicarious liability and violation of state merchandising law, as well as punitive damages.

Background of the Physiomesh Device

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, 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.

Phsyiomesh Failure 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.

Filing a Ethicon Physiomesh Lawsuit

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

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

The Ethicon Physiomesh Lawsuit is Case No. 4:17-cv-02239-UNA, in the U.S District Court for the Southeastern Division of the Eastern District of Missouri.