Utilizing a hernia mesh device in for hernia surgery might seem like a good option for patients.

However, with reports of hernia mesh complications, patients and doctors might want to reconsider.

Several years ago, implantable fabric mesh was developed for use in different types of surgery including pelvic floor reconstruction as well as hernia surgery.

In hernia surgeries, the surgeon may choose to pull tissue together to repair the hernia, or he or she may use an implantable mesh product to bridge the hernia opening without creating tension on the surrounding tissue.

Most doctors believe that the benefits of hernia mesh outweigh the risks, even considering possible hernia mesh complications.

However, growing reports of hernia mesh complications like return of the hernia, intestinal infection and skin complications and nerve damage are causing doctors and patients to reconsider this option.

Hernia Mesh Complications Spur Market Withdrawal

Early last year, in May 2016, Ethicon announced a “market withdrawal” of a popular mesh device because of hernia mesh complications.

The Physiomesh Flexible Composite Mesh device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be marketed over six years ago through a fast-track, expedited approval process.

Ethicon’s hernia patch is a “sterile, low profile, flexible composite mesh designed for repair of hernias and other fascial deficiencies.” After it was approved, it became widely used, but it has been connected with a variety of hernia mesh problems.

The hernia mesh complications that have been reported include hernia recurrence, removal surgery, infections, wound problems and abdominal pain.

Also among the hernia mesh complications reported in conjunction with the Physiomesh were pain, swelling, adhesions, bacterial infections, and migration of the mesh.

When it was withdrawn from the market in May 2016, an unexpected high failure rate was cited as the reason.

Risk Research

Hernia mesh products are widely used. In fact, in 2012, of the nearly 200,000 abdominal hernia surgeries performed in the United States, almost half of them used a hernia mesh product to repair the hernia.

In October 2016, a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association reported that hernia mesh patients have a lower risk of their hernias coming back, but that they were at a much higher risk for other types of hernia mesh complications.

The study looked at 3,200 patients in Denmark who had had hernia surgery. Of the ones that used hernia mesh, over a five-year follow-up period, many reports of hernia mesh complications arose.

Hernia mesh complications noted in this study included bleeding, late abscesses, bowel obstruction and bowel perforation. In fact the hernia mesh complications rate ranged between 3.7% and 5.6%. For those patients who did not use mesh, their complication rate was 0.8%.

If you have suffered from hernia mesh complications, you may be entitled to legal compensation. Specialized hernia mesh lawyers are available to help decide if a lawsuit is right for you.