Hernia mesh is a type of surgical mesh often used in the treatment and correction of a hernia. Hernias occur when an organ or fatty tissue bulges out through a weak spot in muscle or connective fascia tissue.

Hernia mesh side effects may occur when mesh is used as a type of patch to cover and reinforce the weak area where the hernia occurred. The mesh may be made from plastic or biological materials such as mesh made from animal tissue.

What Are the Types of Hernia Mesh?

There are two main types of hernia mesh products: absorbable and non-absorbable. Non-absorbable mesh is considered a permanent implant and is intended to stay in the patient’s body indefinitely. Absorbable mesh loses strength and degrades over time. This type of hernia repair mesh is meant to promote new tissue growth to strengthen the weak spot while the mesh degrades.

What Is a Hernia?

Hernias commonly occur in the inner or outer groin, upper thigh, abdominal wall, upper stomach or diaphragm. Hernias also often occur through an incision or scar in the abdomen, or the belly button, according to WebMD. Sometimes, hernias are actually visible, and a slight bulge can be seen against the skin, particularly while the person is either straining or exerting pressure.

There are several different types of hernias, which include the following:

• Inguinal hernias (occur in the inner groin)
• Femora hernias (occur in the upper thigh/outer groin)
• Incisional hernias (occur through an incision or scar in the abdomen)
• Ventral hernias (occur in the general abdominal/ventral wall)
• Umbilical hernias (occur at the belly button)
• Hiatal hernias (occur inside the abdomen)

There are two surgical methods for hernia repair: laparoscopic surgery or open repair. Laparoscopic surgery involves small incisions to the abdomen and the use of surgical tools through these openings to make the repair. The open repair involves a single, larger incision near the hernia to repair the weak muscle.

What Are the Benefits of Using Hernia Mesh in a Surgical Repair?

Many candidates for hernia repair do question the safety of its use, according to UCIhealth.org. This is possibly because of media reports concerning varieties of mesh found to be defective in recent years. It is important to note a number of problematic mesh products have been recalled and are no longer available to use in surgery. What remains are products that have been proven to be relatively reliable over time. It doesn’t mean they are without risks, but it does mean a potential patient shouldn’t dismiss altogether the possibility of using mesh with repair.

The reason for this consideration is to prevent recurrence of the hernia. Hernias have a tendency to recur. The idea behind the use of mesh is to increase the surface area surrounding the compromise in the tissue. Any stressors to the weakened area are then transferred over this expanded surface area rather than focused on one tiny region. Despite recent concerns over hernia mesh safety, hernia repair using mesh is still the most common method of repair.

A UCI health surgeon and professor believes that the surgery most likely to succeed and not lead to the need for further intervention is one that uses synthetic mesh and stitches. He postulates that stitches used alone in hernia repair will most likely end up failing, requiring additional surgery. In the middle of his recurrence risk classification is the use of biological mesh and stitches.

What Are the Potential Complications of Hernia Mesh?

Common complications of hernia mesh surgery include pain, bleeding, mesh infection, adhesion between the mesh and internal organs, blockages of the intestines, or perforations. Hernia mesh may also shrink, migrate, or fracture, leading to further internal injuries.

Symptoms of hernia mesh complications may include:

• Infection: an infection may occur at the surgical site or around the hernia mesh implant
• Hernia recurrence: a weakening of the hernia site, causing another hernia to form despite the original hernia being repaired
• Adhesion: scar tissue that causes other tissues to stick together unnaturally
• Obstruction: a blockage of the intestines
• Fistula: the formation of abnormal connective tissue between organs, intestines, or vessels
• Seroma: fluid build-up at the site of the hernia mesh
• Perforation: a hole in the tissues or organs near the mesh implant
• Contraction: shrinkage of the hernia mesh
• Migration: movement of the hernia mesh implant from its original location
• Rejection: an immune response from the body that causes the tissues to reject the implanted mesh

According to the FDA, the most common surgical mesh complications are reportedly pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, and bowel obstruction.

Companies such as C.R. Bard, Atrium Medical, and Johnson & Johnson have come under fire for allegedly producing defective mesh products that lead to these issues.

Patients who experience complications related to their hernia mesh implants, such as failure or infection, may require additional revision or mesh removal surgeries. While many hernia mesh products are intended to be permanent implants, patients who suffer from adverse effects due to these devices may require mesh removal surgery.

How Common Are Complications From Hernia Mesh?

A 2018 study published in the medical journal BMJ found that as many as 170,000 patients who had a hernia repaired with mesh within the last six years may be experiencing complications.

The study utilized data from England where around 570,000 hernia mesh repair surgeries have reportedly taken place over the past six years. Surgeons estimate that between 12% and 30% of hernia mesh patients have experienced complications, meaning that anywhere between 68,000 and 170,000 of England’s hernia mesh patients may have experienced issues from their mesh.

What Are the Potential Complications of Hernia Mesh Repair?

Although many patients have reported an increase in their quality of life and comfort following mesh removal surgeries, a number of patients have reported that attempted mesh removal surgery made their pain worse. It is possible that this worsened pain is caused by severe adherence between the mesh and patients’ internal organs. In these cases, it may be impossible to remove the entire mesh, due to degradation, breakage, and implantation.

The New Hampshire Business Review profiled a 34-year-old woman who had her umbilical hernia repaired with an Atrium C-QUR hernia mesh product in August 2010. She started telling her doctor she was in excruciating pain starting in 2013, but nothing was done until June 2015 when the mesh allegedly protruded and she required surgery. In September 2015, the remainder of the mesh was removed because part of it had become stuck to her bowel.

Mesh removal success may be related to the initial placement of the mesh, the size and type of mesh, whether the mesh has migrated or fragmented, the degree to which the mesh has adhered to the internal organs, and the extent of the body’s inflammatory response.

Does Mesh Removal Work?

As hernia mesh removal is a relatively new procedure, there is a lack of accurate statistics and studies regarding the efficacy of mesh removal services. However, the information that is available indicates that these surgeries are effective at reducing pain for approximately 90% of patients.

If you have been implanted with hernia mesh and have suffered from complications of hernia mesh, you may qualify to hire an experienced hernia mesh attorney and file a medical device class action lawsuit. Victims may be able to seek compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The hernia mesh attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, hernia mesh lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.