A woman from Florida alleges she suffered serious transvaginal mesh injuries from a Mentor ObTape sling, which prompted her to file legal action against manufacturer Mentor Worldwide LLC.

The Mentor ObTape sling was reportedly marketed as a safe and effective product for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), but the product has allegedly caused the claimant to suffer severe and permanent pelvic injuries.

According to the transvaginal mesh lawsuit, plaintiff Patricia P. had the Mentor ObTape sling implanted on May 19, 2005, to treat her SUI.

Patricia reportedly responded well to the Mentor ObTape sling, experiencing no initial complications after the device was implanted.

However, it was not long after the transvaginal mesh device was implanted that Patricia started experiencing device complications. According to the transvaginal mesh lawsuit, Patricia suffered extreme pain, dyspareunia, urinary problems and recurrence.

Due to the device complications of the Mentor ObTape sling, Patricia will continue to experience mental and physical pain from permanent, even after multiple surgeries. Patricia opted to file legal action against Mentor Worldwide after discovering other women had suffered similar complications.

Overview of Transvaginal Mesh Complications

The Mentor ObTape sling and other transvaginal mesh products are made of biologically safe material and act as a hammock inside the patient’s pelvic region. This provides extra support to loose or weakened muscles in the pelvic region, which may have been caused by a physically traumatic experience like childbirth.

Transvaginal mesh products prevent organs like the bladder or uterus from falling out of women suffering from POP, and can help women control urination in women suffering from SUI. Transvaginal mesh has been used to treat POP and SUI for years, but women have been reporting serious device complications.

It is currently estimated that approximately 10 percent of women who had transvaginal mesh products implanted will experience serious device complications.

Research shows that women who undergo transvaignal mesh implant surgery for POP treatment could experience mesh erosion, pain, infection, bleeding, painful intercourse, urination problems and organ perforation.

These serious complications require patients to undergo revision surgery, which is considered riskier than the initial implant procedure due to higher risk of infection. Due to the severity of post surgical complications related to POP transvaginal mesh treatment, the FDA issued an announcement in 2016.

During this warning, the FDA stated POP transvaginal mesh treatment will be classified as high risk when it was initially moderate risk. In contrast, SUI patients may face complications like mesh erosion, infection, and pain. Research shows that post surgical complications for SUI treatment are not typically as serious and are not as likely to require revision surgery.

However, this does not mean women who get transvaginal mesh implants for SUI treatment should not be on the lookout for any serious device complications.

Patricia states she would not have agreed to have the Mentor ObTape sling implanted if she had known about the potentially devastating device complications.

Patricia’s transvaginal mesh lawsuit is joining multidistrict litigation (MDL) No. 2004, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging problems from the Mentor ObTape sling.

The Mentor ObTape Sling Lawsuit is Case No. 8:18-cv-02987-EAK-AAS, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.