“Surgical mesh is a medical device that is used to provide additional support to weakened or damaged tissue. The majority of surgical mesh devices currently available for use are constructed from synthetic materials or animal tissue,” per the FDA.
According to drugwatch.com, “Surgical mesh was designed in the 1950s to correct abdominal hernias. The woven material is placed below the skin to patch the abdominal hole and block intestines and other tissues from protruding through the abdominal wall.”
If you have questions about a surgical mesh injury, attorney Chris Mellino welcomes you to contact our office for a free consultation. Our Cleveland hernia surgical mesh implant attorneys have almost 40 years of experience litigating all types of complex medical malpractice and defective product claims.
Contact us online or give us a call at (440) 333-3800 today to learn more about how our legal team can help you.
Hernia-Related Surgical Mesh Complications In 2012, the FDA said the most common adverse side effects of hernia mesh were “pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion [scar tissue bridging a cavity], and bowel obstruction.” Regarding the latter, Livestrong stated, “When placed inside the abdominal cavity, mesh may become stuck to part of the bowel. There is usually no negative effect, but in some cases, the mesh can kink the intestine and cause a blockage, which requires surgical correction. It is also possible for mesh to erode through the wall of the intestine, leading to leakage of bowel contents.”
Patients had also reported mesh migration and mesh shrinkage to the FDA, who told readers that recalled mesh products were to blame for the more serious complications. A June 3, 2014 safety alert stated the same.
A February 2014 WebMD article said obese patients would be better off getting stitches than a combination of stitches and mesh since mesh increases the risk of infection.
Surgeon Says Surgical Mesh Pain Ruins Lives In 2012, a surgeon who removed plastic surgical mesh from a 32-year-old man suffering severe pain told KTVU reporters that “[i]t honestly ruins lives… When scar tissue builds up around it [the mesh], it shrinks. When it shrinks, it pulls on those tacks, causing horrible pain.”
After reviewing studies, KTVU said as many as 5 million Americans are left to suffer this chronic pain post-surgery. Another doctor told the station that surgical mesh problems are due to the fact that surgeons don’t know how to use it and the FDA hasn’t offered them any guidance.
“[It is] a source of collective professional embarrassment that we have not done a better job of studying these materials,” he said.
If you have questions about the surgical mesh used during your hernia repair surgery, attorney Chris Mellino invites you to contact our Cleveland office for a free consultation. You may also download Chris’ free guide , Your Ohio Medical Malpractice Questions Answered , read testimonials, and learn about previous case results .
Schedule a complimentary case evaluation with our hernia mesh implant attorneys in Cleveland; call (440) 333-3800 today.
