Emily Sortor  |  August 21, 2020

Category: Legal News

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woman experiencing abdominal pain on a bed

Pelvic mesh erosion is a serious problem associated with surgical mesh used for pelvic organ prolapse surgery and similar procedures.

In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed transvaginal mesh in the Class III medical device category, designated for products that pose a high risk of complications.

Citing a failure to demonstrate “reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness,” the FDA in 2019 issued an order requiring all manufacturers of surgical mesh intended for transvaginal repair of anterior compartment prolapse to cease all sales and distribution of pelvic mesh devices.

What Is Pelvic Mesh?

Pelvic mesh is a type of surgical mesh (similar to the mesh used for hernia repair) used to reinforce weakened or injured muscle tissue.

It is to treat pelvic organ prolapse, which can result from childbirth, long-term abdominal pressure from obesity or ongoing abdominal muscle strain, or the effects of menopause or aging. It may also be used for women with stress urinary incontinence.

What Is Pelvic Mesh Erosion?

Erosion is one of the most frequent complications of surgical mesh. Mesh made from plastic polymers, such as polypropylene or polyester, eventually wears away or breaks down.

Pelvis mesh erosion can be painful.Why Does Pelvic Mesh Erosion Occur?

The primary issue associated with mesh complications is biocompatibility. When a surgical mesh is implanted, it generates an inflammatory reaction because the body’s immune reaction perceives the mesh as a foreign pathogen.

When the mesh is incompatible with a patient’s own tissue, it cannot properly integrate, leading to serious complications.

What Are the Symptoms of Pelvic Mesh Erosion?

Women with pelvic mesh complications may experience any or all of the following symptoms:

  • painful urination or bowel movements
  • increased urinary frequency
  • blood in the urine
  • recurring bladder or vaginal infections
  • painful intercourse
  • abnormally heavy menstrual flow

How Many Women Are at Risk?

Prior to the FDA moratorium on mesh sales, surgical mesh was used in some 33 percent of pelvic organ prolapse procedures and 80 percent of  stress urinary incontinence operations. According to a study published in the Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6.3 percent of women who underwent mesh surgery wound up suffering pelvic mesh erosion.

Risk factors include:

  • hypertension
  • diabetes
  • tobacco use
  • hysterectomy
  • surgeon inexperience

Can Pelvic Mesh Erosion Be Corrected?

More than half of women who experience pelvic mesh erosion require additional surgeries to have the mesh removed. In some cases, the symptoms can be eased by the application of topical ointments or removal of the exposed mesh. Unfortunately, many of the side effects of pelvic mesh erosion persist even after the mesh has been successfully removed.

Some women who have suffered pelvic mesh erosion report that its side effects are permanent or life-changing. A woman who was implanted with mesh following childbirth began experiencing pain and other side effects years later. When her doctor investigated, the mesh was found to have hardened and begun to cut through the patient’s urethra. Due to the treatment for her injuries, the woman also developed anemia.

Other women have reported difficulty sitting upright or walking because of pain caused by the mesh tugging or cutting into other organs. A woman implanted with pelvic mesh in 2008 endured years of pain, itching, and urinary tract infections from the implant. She finally opted to undergo surgery to have the mesh removed from her body, but after three surgeries, pieces of mesh remain. Incontinence, the reason she had the mesh implanted in the first place, has only gotten worse. She also now suffers mesh-related side effects including pelvic pain and infections.

Are There Alternatives to Mesh Surgery?

There are non-surgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse that use sutures and the patient’s own tissues. If you are facing such surgery, it’s important to discuss the alternatives with your physician. If you have already undergone mesh surgery, you should be regularly monitored.

Tens of thousands of women who claim that pelvic mesh erosion or breakage has caused long-term side effects and internal organ damage have filed lawsuits against various medical device companies. Those who have experienced complications related to pelvic mesh erosion may be eligible to hire an experienced attorney to review their case and discuss the legal options.

What Procedures Are Included in the FDA’s Transvaginal Pelvic Mesh Ban?

The FDA did not ban all pelvic mesh implants to treat organ prolapse. Yale Medicineexplains what mesh was banned and what was not, as the distinctions may leave some patients confused.

The FDA banned transvaginal mesh — when the mesh is inserted through the vagina by making an incision in the vaginal wall. The goal of the surgery is for the patient’s tissue to grow inside the holes in the mesh, which then creates a wall to support the organs. The procedure’s risk of serious complications led the FDA to ban it.

According to Yale Medicine, the FDA did not ban or restrict procedures in which pelvic mesh is implanted through the abdomen, and mesh inserted through the vaginal wall for the treatment of conditions other than pelvic organ prolapse are also still permitted. Transvaginal mesh is still permitted to treat stress urinary incontinence, but not pelvic organ prolapse. In a bladder sling procedure, the mesh serves as a hammock, preventing pressure on the bladder from causing the urethra to open.

Join a Free Transvaginal Mesh Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you underwent revision surgery after suffering from transvaginal mesh complications, you may have a legal claim to pursue compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. Fill out the form on this page now for a FREE case evaluation to see if you qualify to file a transvaginal mesh lawsuit or join a vaginal mesh class action lawsuit investigation.

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Join a Free Transvaginal Mesh Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or a loved one were injured by a transvaginal mesh product and underwent revision surgery to remove the mesh or repair the damage, you may have a legal claim. Submit your information now for a free case evaluation.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

Please Note: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client, if you qualify, or getting you dropped as a client.

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