A Kentucky woman files a new Atrium C-Qur mesh lawsuit alleging that her hernia mesh was defective and led to serious injuries.

Plaintiff Marilee S. filed the lawsuit in New Hampshire federal court. She says that she was implanted with the Atrium C-Qur mesh in 2014 but had the product explanted later that year, according to the Atrium C-Qur mesh lawsuit.

Marilee also says that the hernia mesh caused her to suffer personal injury, severe emotional distress, and economic loss.

The Atrium C-Qur mesh lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, design defect, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, defective product, breach of express warranty, fraudulent concealment, among others.

Atrium C-Qur Mesh Lawsuit Joins MDL

Marilee’s claim is filed as part of a large multidistrict litigation, or MDL, centered on allegations that the Atrium C-Qur hernia mesh was not properly designed and caused serious complications and internal injuries.

Allegations patients raise against Atrium include failing to adequately test the hernia mesh and negligently manufacturing, designing, and marketing a defective product. Other allegations against Atrium claim the company failing to warn the public of adverse effects that may result from use of a hernia mesh, but also in allegedly concealing information about the defective device.

What is a Hernia Mesh?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a hernia occurs when an intestine, fatty tissue, or organ, is squeezed through a weak spot or hole in the body’s connective or surrounding muscle tissue. It often occurs through the body’s abdominal wall.

The causes of most hernias is a combination of pressure directed at a vulnerable spot, such as a hole in connective or muscle tissue. Although the hole is at times present at birth, the hernia may result much later in life. Anything can also increase the pressure placed on the body’s abdominal wall, such as by lifting heavy objects, smoking, diarrhea or constipation, obesity, and persistent sneezing or coughing.

A hernia or surgical mesh is a device that adds support to weakened or damaged tissue. Types of hernia mesh manufactured by Atrium include Vitamesh, Proloop, Prolite, and Prolite Ultra, in addition to the C-Qur.

Hernia Mesh Complications

Patients implanted with the hernia mesh have complained of complications resulting from adhesions, autoimmune reactions to mesh, nerve damage, bowl or intestinal blockage, pain and bleeding, and seroma or fluid buildup at the surgery site.

According to the FDA, “[t]he most common adverse events following hernia repair with mesh are pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, and bowel obstruction. Some other potential adverse events that can occur following hernia repair with mesh are mesh migration and mesh shrinkage (contraction).”

The complications patients report with Atrium Medical’s C-Qur product are allegedly due to the unique coating the hernia mesh utilizes from fish oil. Atrium claims that the coating minimizes tissue attachment to mesh and prevents the mesh from touching internal organs.

However, the safety and effectiveness of the C-Qur hernia mesh has been questioned, as studies have shown that the fish oil coating interferes with tissue ingrowth into the mesh.

The Atrium C-Qur Mesh Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-00624-LM in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire. The Hernia Mesh MDL is In re: Atrium Medical Corp. C-Qur Mesh Products Liability Litigation, MDL No 2753, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.