Transvaginal Mesh
We Represent Victims Injured By This Dangerous Medical Product
Transvaginal mesh is a net-like fabric, generally made from a type of plastic called polypropylene, that is used to treat leaky bladder problems and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women. Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition that often follows a hysterectomy, menopause or childbirth. It occurs when the patient's muscles weaken, causing pelvic organs such as the bladder, rectum and uterus to drop into the vagina. Surgeons place the mesh along the vaginal wall to physically stop prolapse from occurring.
Unfortunately, transvaginal mesh has been linked to a number of painful and potentially deadly side effects. Some side effects associated with this medical device include:
- Chronic vaginal drainage
- Erosion of vaginal tissue
- Lower back pain
- Pain during intercourse
- Perforation of the bowel, bladder or blood vessels
- Vaginal bleeding, infections, scarring and pain
- Recurrence of POP or urinary problems
Some of the symptoms associated with a defective or failing transvaginal mesh include a feeling of "fullness" in the lower abdomen and a feeling of discomfort, as though something is protruding from the vagina. Further medical procedures may be needed to address these issues, ranging from a mesh trim or removal in a doctor's office to one or more surgeries to repair or remove the mesh - at significant cost to the patient.
Legal rights of transvaginal mesh patients
Thousands of reported cases of injury have led to lawsuits worth millions of dollars. In some cases, injuries resulting from transvaginal mesh occur during insertion, meaning the surgeon may be partially to blame. In other cases, the mesh erodes after insertion.
However, in either case, these injuries could have been avoided if manufacturers had adequately researched potential complications and warned patients and the medical community about those risks.
Many companies have produced the device, but the top manufacturers include:
- Boston Scientific Group
- R. Bard
- Ethicon, Inc. (a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary)
- Coloplast Corp.
- Cook Medical Inc.
Victims of defective medical devices such as transvaginal mesh deserve to be fairly compensated for their injuries. The medical bills alone to repair the damage done by transvaginal mesh can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, to say nothing of other damages such as loss of quality of life, loss of consortium (a legal term for loss of the benefits of relationship with one's spouse or relatives), and pain and suffering.
If you've been hurt by transvaginal mesh, give Dean Waite & Associates a call today. Our legal team, which includes a female attorney available for you to talk to, is proud to help women dealing with these side effects. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.