Many Tennessee women sought relief from pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by undergoing transvaginal mesh surgery. Transvaginal mesh (TVM) is supposed to provide the necessary support in the pelvic floor to keep a woman’s organs from falling out of place due to weak pelvic muscles. POP is believed to be primarily caused by weakened muscles due to childbirth and pregnancy.
Problems with Transvaginal Mesh Surgery
Surgical mesh has been used in a number of applications throughout the body where additional support is needed with little to no complications. Mesh installed through small incisions in the abdomen also performed very well for correcting POP and SUI in women. Significant problems started when the mesh started to be installed through the vagina.
Mesh installed through transvaginal mesh surgery has been reported to move out of place, requiring additional surgeries. Removing the mesh can sometimes prove problematic because the soft vaginal tissues surrounding the pelvic area can absorb part of the mesh. The woman may experience severe side effects like hemorrhaging, perforated tissue, infections, permanent scarring, or extreme pain in the pelvis, abdomen, or legs.
Resulting Legal Actions
Affected women from Tennessee and around the country have filed lawsuits seeking damages related to transvaginal mesh surgery. Various estimates put the total number of lawsuits associated with transvaginal mesh surgery filed in the thousands. Complications from transvaginal mesh surgery are not that uncommon. The product liability suits have been consolidated into Multidistrict Litigation for more efficient proceedings.
Lawsuits allege that the manufacturers of TVM purposefully withheld important data and information about their product from the public. The first TVM product, Boston Scientific’s ProteGen Sling, was pushed through FDA approval by invoking clauses that allowed the company to compare their product to similar products on the market. Hypothetically, there should have been little difference between a transvaginal mesh used to fix SUI and POP and a mesh used in other areas of the body. However, combination of the product and the soft tissues of the pelvic area shattered this assumption.
Should I Seek Legal Consultation?
TVM has reportedly caused numerous women in Tennessee and across the country intense pain and emotional suffering. If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of a transvaginal mesh implant, contact Attorney Group for Tennessee today. We can help you understand your legal options, help you determine if you have a case, and connect you with an affiliated attorney. Contact us today for a free consultation.
