My Transvaginal Mesh Is Defective. Now What?

“It is very painful to walk and even to sit upright.”
“I get serious cramps along the walls of the vagina. They wake me from sound sleep.”
“My bladder has to be flushed every week because I have an ongoing infection.”
“I’m afraid the mesh has gone into my organs, the pain is so bad.”

These are the words of real women who are victims of transvaginal mesh (TVM) implants gone horribly wrong. The medical devices were meant to fix pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Many women who underwent these surgeries hoping for relief from their symptoms found they were the victims of untested devices that caused greater pain and serious complications, including bleeding, infections, internal injuries, recurrent prolapse and mesh erosion.

FDA’s Reaction to Transvaginal Mesh Complaints

In 2011, after receiving numerous complaints, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that no evidence shows transvaginal mesh surgeries are effective at fixing pelvic organ prolapse, and that TVM surgeries frequently cause complications. Yet, while federal regulators increased enforcement efforts against companies manufacturing the devices, the FDA did not issue a recall.

Instead, it has fallen on the shoulders of TVM victims to force recalls by bringing lawsuits against the manufacturers, including Boston Scientific, Mentor Worldwide, Cook, CR Bard, Covidien, American Medical Systems and Johnson & Johnson. Transvaginal mesh multidistrict litigation is underway in courts across the country.

Seeking Answers for TVM Defects

Why did manufacturers ignore warning signs that transvaginal mesh surgeries caused serious complications? Why did doctors continue to operate? Why are some transvaginal mesh products still on the market?

If you have been injured by transvaginal mesh, you have every right to seek answers. By bringing a lawsuit against the company that manufactured your mesh, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical costs, income loss, loss of sexual relations and, perhaps most importantly, the cost of surgical repair and rehabilitation.

Who Manufactured Your Transvaginal Mesh?

The first step is to determine which company manufactured your mesh. The first TVM devices went on the market in 1996, but were recalled three years later because of a high failure rate. Yet, other manufacturers ignored the warning signs and created similar products that stayed on the market for more than a decade.

Multidistrict litigation focuses on five of these companies:

• American Medical Systems: Apogee Vault Suspension System, Elevate Prolapse Repair System, Perigee Sling, Monarc Sling, Sparc Sling
• Boston Scientific: ProteGen Sling, Precision Anchor Systems, Lynx Sling, Innacle Pelvic Floor Repair Kits, Advantage Sling, Prefyx Sling, Ortryx Sling, Solyx Sling
• Coloplast: Exair, T-Sling, Novasilk Sling
• C.R. Bard: Avaulta, Pelvisoft, Biomesh, Pelvico, Pelvilace, Alyte, Pelvitex
• Johnson & Johnson Ethicon: Prolift Kit, Prosima Pelvic Floor Repair System, Prolift M Kit, TVT Secur

No matter what company manufactured your device, if you have suffered injuries because of defects in the device, you may be able to bring a lawsuit against that company. In some cases, you may also be the victim of medical malpractice. For example, if a doctor improperly placed the implant and the placement caused your internal pain, your case may be against the doctor for medical negligence.

Relief After TVM Complications

Whether your organs have prolapsed, your mesh has eroded or you have faced another TVM complication, there are options. For example, you may be a candidate for revision surgery or a vaginal pessary. Of course, your treatment or therapy options will depend on your unique circumstances.

What matters now is that you have the financial freedom you need to find the best solution for you. You may be able to find that freedom through a transvaginal mesh lawsuit.