While there are several different types of mesh products available for use in surgeries, surgeons will normally use a sterile, woven material made from a synthetic plastic-like material, such as polypropylene. The mesh can be a patch that goes over or under the affected area, or it can be in the form of a plug that goes inside the hole. Mesh is very thin, but is still extremely sturdy and strong. Because of its soft texture and flexibility, the mesh is easily able to conform to a body’s size, position, and movement. Mesh is typically used in tension-free and laparoscopic tension-free hernia procedures.
Manufacturers of hernia mesh products have been able to convince surgeons to use their products in part through studies they have funded to demonstrate that there was a lower rate of hernia recurrence when hernia mesh was used. However, the research lacked several crucial components that would be needed to truly prove its effectiveness, such as the how long the patients were monitored after the implantation of the mesh. They also failed to clearly define what was meant by “normal complications” within the studies. The incompleteness and lack of clarity associated with the studies may have caused doctors to make a less than completely informed decision about whether to use certain types of hernia mesh products.
What Are Some Of The Most Common Hernia Mesh Complications?
Some of the common complications associated with hernia mesh are pain and bleeding, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesions, scar tissue that sticks together, mesh shrinkage, fistulas, abnormal connections between organs, seroma, fluid build-up at the surgical site, bowel or intestinal blockage, organ perforations, nerve damage, autoimmune reaction to mesh, and mesh migration and rejection.
Are These Lawsuits Involving Certain Types Of Mesh Or A Time Period Where These Products Were Used?
Presently, lawsuits are being pursued against C.R. Bard, Ethicon, Atrium, and other mesh manufacturers. It is being claimed that they have released “defective” and “unreasonably dangerous” products into the medical marketplace, and that they did not properly alert patients and doctors about the meshes’ potential side effects. The suits allege that, through the companies’ actions, they are responsible for the harm and injuries that patients have sustained, and are seeking compensation for the money lost due to needing revision surgery, attending doctor visits, and being away from work.
It has been reported that some of the newer mesh products were manufactured differently from the original design of the mesh, which had been used in the medical setting for about for 50 years. The manufacturers claimed that this new design was an easier and faster alternative to the traditional hernia mesh. It has been alleged that even though the designs of the product are newer, they did not make the products safer, but rather made them defective.
Did The Manufacturers Of The Mesh Or The Doctors Know These Products Could Be Dangerous?
It is unclear whether or not the manufacturers or the doctors knew about the potential unsafety of using hernia mesh. However, it is likely that the manufacturers did not conduct proper and thorough pre-market testing and research utilizing these products, and therefore they could not attest with certainty about the safety of using such products in a surgical setting.
For more information on Hernia Mesh Surgery In Florida, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling 800-835-5762 & 954-456-2488 today.
Get your questions answered - call us for your FREE consultation at 800-835-5762 & 954-456-2488
