Medical Lawsuits Against Transvaginal Mesh

A growing number of transvaginal mesh surgery implant lawsuits are being filed by women throughout the United States because of the allegations that they sustained serious, painful, and life-changing injuries following implantation of transvaginal mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapsed and stress urinary incontinence. In the US, trial of compensatory damage claims filed against different transvaginal mesh makers are still going on. In fact, one remains pending in the Southern District of West Virginia.



It may be interesting for everyone to know that this medical problem is also affecting other countries like Australia. Actually, Johnson & Johnson is currently being sued by women who have claimed they had suffered from the vaginal mesh they had produced. 



Read More: Australian Vaginal Mesh Victims File Class Action Lawsuit Against Johnson & Johnson

Vaginal Mesh Issues

There are many issues currently being thrown against manufacturers of vaginal meshes, legal and medical observers say. In fact, the number of people filing surgical mesh lawsuits has been growing. Just recently, another blow to this vaginal mesh issue came in through in a woman named Lisa Elford-Pasheneewho staged a rally about her vaginal mesh sufferings.  This protest action  happened last summer and may particularly affect Johnson & Johnson as Lisa Elford-Pashenee was using a Gynecare Gynemesh device for her stress urinary incontinence. The rally may also have reached a wider audience as she used Facebook to convey to the public about her experiences. For those affected of this vaginal mesh issue, it may be more helpful if you don’t stay silent about it.
Read More: Women Stage Vaginal Mesh Protest Rally in California

Medical Benefits of TVM

Women in all sides of the world recognize the medical device trans-vaginal mesh (TVM).  This device is used by physicians to help relieve the signs and symptoms of Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) and Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), which are mainly present in aged women, by reinforcing the vaginal wall to restore the vaginal anatomy and improve sexual health. Most adult women in all races are affected by POP and SUI.  The most at risk of developing these conditions are the women who have gone through menopause, hysterectomy, and childbirth.

When does Pelvic Organ Prolapse occur 

In Pelvic Organ Prolapse, the connective tissues stabilizing the walls of the vagina become less elastic and starts to soften. Old age and previous experiences of hysterectomy and vaginal delivery account for the loss of elasticity in the tissues of the vaginal wall. 

There are diverse kinds of prolapse, but the principal types are bladder and uterine prolapse, urethrocele, and rectocele.  The most widespread of these types is bladder prolapse. This is when the bladder extends into the vaginal wall. Urethrocele is when the urethra puffs out into the vagina.  Rectocele is the projection of parts of the rectum into the back part of the vagina and uterine prolapse is when the uterus falls into the vagina. 

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress Urinary Incontinence is not a symptom of POP.  It may be defined as the uncontrolled escape of urine from the bladder during sudden movements like sneezing or coughing. Most likely, it results when the urethra is hyperactive due to weakened pelvic muscles. 

Brief History of Trans-vaginal Mesh

Surgical mesh can be traced in 1950 as a common management for hernia.  Twenty years after that, it was professionally used through the abdomen for the repair of POP.  It was then in 1990 that surgeons discovered that it can be successfully implanted through the vagina.  There are approximately 250,000 cases of TVM procedures recorded as of today.

Many times, traditional procedures used for the management of POP and SUI did not successfully relieve the symptoms of these conditions, leading to the approval in practicing TVM surgery. On the other hand, TVM lawsuits are filed at an increasing rate in the United States as serious injuries have affected many recipients of the vaginal mesh recently.

References:

emedicinehealth.com/vaginal_prolapse/page2_em.htm

healthywomen.org/condition/pelvic-organ-prolapse

utilis.net/Morning%20Topics/Gynecology/Pelvic%20organ%20prolapse.pdf

usdrugrecall.com/category/medical-devices/transvaginal-mesh