Pelvic mesh problems of pain and suffering have been reported by

Pelvic Mesh Problems

Pelvic mesh problems of pain and suffering have been reported by thousands of women after mesh surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. In July 2011, the FDA issued a Safety Communication about mesh implants to warn the public about the pain and suffering women had reported.

Subsequently, the FDA issued 131 orders to conduct post market surveillance studies (“522 orders”) to 34 manufacturers of surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of pelvic mesh prolapse (this does not include slings). Most manufacturers elected to stop marketing surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse after receiving these orders. However, many of the transvaginal implants, including slings, are still on the market and being implanted today. A few of the FAQs are:

What are the problems associated with Transvaginal Mesh?

Problems include:

mesh erosion into the tissues,
extrusion of the mesh,
mesh contracture or shrinkage,
bladder spasms or dysfunction,
pudendal/obturator nerve damage,
infection and abscess,
bacteria colonization,
perforation of organs,
inflammation and foreign body response,
bleeding,
hematoma,
pain on intercourse,
continued bladder leaking or incontinence,
scarring requiring additional surgeries, and
other health issues.

What is Transvaginal Mesh?

Transvaginal Mesh is an implant used in surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Mesh is permanently implanted to reinforce the weakened vaginal wall for POP repair or to support the urethra or bladder neck for the repair of SUI.

How do I know if I have Transvaginal Mesh implanted?

Mesh implantation evidence should be found in the Operative Report dictated by the surgeon after the procedure is performed. The surgeon’s office and the hospital or facility where the operation was performed will each have a copy of the Operative Report and you can order it from them or find it in your patient portal. Do not rely on any health care workers’ memory as they must produce written product identification of the mesh.

Do I have a Transvaginal Mesh lawsuit?

Contact us for a free medical legal consultation at 1-800-814-4540 or email carolyn@carolynstclair.com so we can assist you. There are deadlines that can limit the time you have for filing claims and hospitals may destroy records, so contact us posthaste.

What surgeries use Transvaginal Mesh?

Mesh is used in surgeries to treat pelvic organ prolapse or bladder leaking also known as stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The polypropylene mesh is sometimes referred to as a tape or sling or hammock and will be listed in the medical record as:

tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) ,
transobturator tape (TOT),
bladder slings,
bladder tac,
pubovaginal (PV) sling,
midurethral sling.

Mesh is also used to treat uterine prolapse (enterocoele), bladder prolapse (cystocele) or rectal prolapse (rectocele), anterior or posterior prolapse,. The surgeries that may use mesh are referred to as:

anterior vaginal repair,
posterior vaginal repair,
pelvic organ prolapse repair,
colpopexy,
sacrocolpopexy,
colorrhaphy.

The mesh may be used in conjunction with other urogynecologic procedures, such as, vaginal hysterectomies and laparoscopic pelvic procedures. The following pelvic surgery information is from the Cleveland Clinic

Sacrocolpopexy

A sacrocolpopexy is a surgical procedure that treats pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles and tissue that support your pelvic organs become weak or damaged and slip out of position. During sacrocolpopexy, your surgeon uses surgical mesh to lift your organs back into place. Most surgeons perform sacrocolpopexy laparoscopically using small incisions and a camera. Some surgeons perform laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with the help of a robot.

What does this procedure treat?

Sacrocolpopexy treats the organs in your pelvis: specifically, the area between your left and right hip bones and your pubic bone and tailbone. Examples of pelvic organs include your vagina, uterus, cervix, bladder, urethra (the tube that you pee out of), intestines and rectum.

These organs are held in place by a group of muscles called your pelvic floor as well as ligaments from your vagina to your backbone. Your pelvic floor acts like a hammock for your pelvic organs. When this support system becomes stretched, weakened or torn, it allows pelvic organs to slip out of their normal places or sag down as the ligaments usually will stretch over time. This is pelvic organ prolapse. Sacrocolpopexy addresses organs slipping into your vagina.

There are different types of prolapse, depending on the organ or organs involved. These include:

Uterine prolapse: Your uterus and cervix drop down the vaginal canal, sometimes so far that they go past the vaginal opening.
Vaginal prolapse: The top of your vagina (known as your “vaginal vault”) drops down your vaginal canal. This occurs in people who have had a hysterectomy (removal of their uterus).
Cystocele: Your bladder bulges into your vagina.
Rectocele: Your rectum bulges into your vagina.
Enterocele: Your small intestine bulges against your vaginal wall.

What are symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse?

Some of the most common symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse are:

Seeing a bulge or lump coming from your vagina.
Feeling like there’s a ball stuck inside your vagina.
A feeling of pressure or heaviness in your pelvis or low back.
Leaking pee or having problems pooping.
Issues inserting tampons or pain during sex.

What causes pelvic organ prolapse?

The most common causes of pelvic organ prolapse are the following:

Vaginal childbirth.
Surgery on your pelvic organs.
Getting older.
Extreme physical activity or lifting of heavy objects.
Increased abdominal pressure (from straining to have bowel movements or having a chronic cough).
Genetics (you’re born with naturally weaker pelvic muscles).

Procedure Details

Sacrocolpopexy is a surgical procedure that lifts your pelvic organs back into place using surgical mesh.

How is prolapse repaired with a sacrocolpopexy?

In a sacrocolpopexy procedure, a surgeon attaches a special type of surgical mesh from your upper vagina to your sacrum (tailbone), creating a bridge or synthetic ligament. First, the bladder and rectum must be separated from the vagina to create a space to place the mesh. Next, the surgeon places surgical mesh at the top and bottom walls of your vagina. Finally, they attach it to a ligament covering your sacrum. Because your sacrum is higher than your vagina, the mesh acts as a lift.

Your surgeon may remove your uterus (hysterectomy) and/or your fallopian tubes and ovaries during sacrocolpopexy. Removing these organs eliminates your risk for uterine cancer and reduces your risk of developing ovarian or fallopian tube cancer. Your surgeon determines if removing your uterus is appropriate based on your health history, cancer risk and preference.

What happens during this procedure?

Most surgeons perform a sacrocolpopexy laparoscopically (through small incisions, or cuts) in the following way:

You’ll be asleep under general anesthesia for the surgery so you don’t feel any pain.
A surgeon makes four to five incisions in your abdomen.
A surgeon inflates your abdomen with carbon dioxide gas to create space to perform the surgery.
A surgeon inserts a laparoscope (a thin, telescope-type tube with a camera) and other instruments through the incisions.
A surgeon attaches a piece of surgical mesh to the top and bottom walls of your vagina and then to the sacrum. This suspends the top of your vagina or cervix back into its normal position.
If there isn’t enough support for your bladder or rectum, your surgeon may repair these areas, too.
If you have urinary incontinence, your surgeon may place a small piece of mesh underneath your urethra to give you support when you cough, laugh or sneeze.
At the end of the surgery, your surgeon looks inside your bladder with a small camera to ensure it wasn’t damaged during surgery.
Finally, your surgeon removes all the instruments from your abdomen and closes your incisions.

For robotic-assisted sacrocolpopexy, your surgeon follows similar steps, but they pass robotic controllers through small incisions. Your surgeon guides these small instruments during the procedure.

Do I have a Transvaginal Mesh lawsuit?

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