Hernia mesh surgeries are among the most common surgeries performed in the United States, according to Medical News Today. While usually considered safe and effective, Atrium C-Qur mesh has been linked to high rates of infection, bowel adhesion, severe pain, and other serious health concerns.

New Hampshire Business Review reports that the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire has been flooded with Atrium C-Qur hernia mesh lawsuits. As of May 31, some 2,136 Atrium mesh cases had been filed. Seventy-five of the 2,136 cases were filed during the month of May, nearly double the rate of 2019. If you developed complications after a hernia repair that utilized Atrium C-Qur mesh, you may be eligible to take legal action against the company.

What is Atrium C-Qur Mesh?

Atrium C-Qur mesh was originally marketed as a mesh alternative that was less likely to cause complications. It is manufactured with a fish oil coating which Atrium claims prevents adhesion and inflammation. Atrium mesh is intended to be used in hernia and other soft tissue repairs, and, in most cases, is placed between the hernia wound and the intestine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved the Atrium C-Qur mesh in 2006, but the manufacturer issued a recall in 2013 that affected some 145,000 units.

Hernia Mesh Failures

There have been many complaints filed with the FDA regarding issues arising from hernia surgeries using Atrium mesh. Specifically, complainants have reported bowel obstructions, hematomas, infections, severe pain, inflammation, seromas, adhesion, fistulas, and severe allergic reactions allegedly caused by the Atrium C-Qur mesh.

A study published by the National Institutes of Health noted that human studies looking at surgical complications from fish oil-coated hernia mesh used in abdominal hernia repairs “continues to be scarce” and “further studies and monitoring are required to further elucidate the efficacy and safety profile of such meshes.”

A complaint published on the FDA’s website describes the case of a patient who experienced severe pain after a hernia repair only to have to return to the operating table. The surgeon wrote that the patient’s pelvic area looked “like a bomb went off.” As a result of the damage caused by the mesh, the patient required additional surgeries, including the removal of her appendix.

Atrium C-Qur Mesh Lawsuits

Thousands of plaintiffs who have filed hernia mesh suits have alleged complications including hernias coming back, allergic reactions, organ damage, or further surgery to repair faulty hernia mesh. The lawsuits against Atrium primarily cite the fish oil coating as the cause of plaintiffs’ medical complications, though the mesh itself is also cited as a factor. According to the New Hampshire Business Review, the Atrium lawsuits represent just a fraction of the hernia mesh lawsuits pending in courts today.

Each side in the Atrium litigation was given the opportunity to submit four cases they felt best represented the issue. The plaintiffs chose Pittsburgh resident Carrie B. and the defendants picked Jaunita H. of Oxford, Miss. Lawyers for the plaintiffs estimate that a trial could take about a month, after which both parties will have another opportunity to negotiate compensation for the thousands of plaintiffs suing Atrium.