A group of litigants suing over allegedly defective vaginal mesh medical products reached a settlement agreement with the products’ manufacturer, Endo International, in May of 2015.

The vaginal mesh lawsuits were aimed at Endo International, whose subsidiary American Medical Systems (AMS) allegedly made dangerous vaginal mesh implants. Approximately 108 plaintiffs were included in the May settlement. The parties have until April 2016 to work out final details of the dismissal. 

As with many settlements, the judge’s order for dismissal did not contain details of the settlement. In 2014, however, Endo announced that the company planned to pay $830 million to settle the bulk of the vaginal mesh lawsuits facing AMS. Endo had previously suggested that it would cost at least $520 million to settle the vaginal mesh lawsuits facing the company.

What are the Risks of Vaginal Mesh?

Surgical mesh has been used since the 1970s to support tissues when their usual support structures are weakened from disease or injury. Innovative surgeons began to modify surgical mesh for use in pelvic operations by cutting it into shape. Capitalizing on this, a number of different medical companies began to release surgical mesh cut into shape for pelvic surgeries. Manufacturers termed the revised mesh product pelvic mesh, vaginal mesh, transvaginal mesh, and other names.

Since vaginal mesh was based on existing technology, the manufacturers argued, it could skip regular FDA testing. The FDA agreed and approved vaginal mesh based on the the previous surgical mesh approval. However, many manufacturers soon faced reports of pelvic mesh complications, eventually leading to widespread vaginal mesh lawsuits.

Vaginal mesh lawsuits allege that the surgical implant is defective and dangerous. According to some vaginal mesh lawsuits, complications include mesh erosion, a situation where pelvic mesh works its way through the very tissues it is supposed to support and protect, cutting and damaging the tissue.

Other cases allege potential for embedment, a situation where the body tries to grow around and encapsulate the mesh, causing pain and complicating removal. Still other vaginal mesh lawsuits have alleged that pelvic mesh is designed in such a way that its anchor points dig into nerve-rich tissue at the bottom of the spine, potentially causing nerve damage.

Vaginal Mesh Lawsuits

Under U.S. law, the manufacturers of medical implants like vaginal mesh are legally obligated to thoroughly test their wares for safety and efficacy, and to monitor medical journals and FDA reports for signs that their medical implants are having unforeseen problems.

Vaginal mesh lawsuits argue that by exploiting loopholes in the regulations regarding “substantially similar” medical technology, the makers of vaginal mesh exposed the public to a dangerous medical implant.

The group of vaginal mesh lawsuits settled in May is part of the vaginal mesh MDL In Re: American Medical Systems Inc, Pelvic Repair System Product Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2325, filed in the Untied States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.