A Philadelphia court awarded millions in compensation to Patricia Hammons for complications caused by transvaginal mesh.

When Patricia Hammons received a transvaginal mesh implant in 2009, she never expected it to cause so many problems.

After dealing with continued pain and incontinence, Hammons had multiple corrective surgeries to repair the mesh. But the issue was severe that she could no longer engage in sex.

Hammons’ quality of life began to worsen, which prompted her to take legal action against the mesh maker. She shared her story in a Philidelphia courthouse, where she was awarded millions.

Mesh Complications Diminish Quality of Life

Failed mesh can cause severe pain that makes sex unbearable.
Image: Boston Jew

The mesh device, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon, was meant to treat pelvic organ prolapse. Hammons had the device implanted into her body at the age of 58.

Nearly 13 years later, Hammons found herself in a courtroom describing the severity of pain she experienced when attempting to have sex. Additionally, Hammons deals with incontinence, a condition that makes her unable to control her bladder.

Doctors attempted to repair the mesh issues with corrective surgeries. During one of the operations, it was discovered Hammons’ mesh had “bunched up” and perforated her bladder.

In December, a jury awarded Hammons $12.5 million as restitution for all that she had been through.

Court Assists With Medical Expenses

Mesh complications can require additional surgeries that would substantially increase medical costs.
Image: Antimicrobial Resistance Learning Site

Hammons is 65 years old. She works at an Indiana Wal-Mart stocking shelves, earning a small income that couldn’t begin to cover her medical expenses.

A number of experts testified on Hammons’ behalf, proving that Johnson & Johnson knew about mesh failures since 2005. The court also heard testimony from a former product engineer who said device manufacturers lacked a solid backup plan to address potential complications.

A Philadephia jury believed Hammons was entitled to $5.5 million to assist with mounting health care costs. The award will also act as compensation for the loss of sexual function.

Additionally, the court awarded Hammons $7 million to Johnson & Johnson, sending a message to health care manufacturers who market unsafe products.

Women implanted with transvaginal mesh may need multiple corrective surgeries. Even with corrective treatment, mesh complications may persist.

Request a free case evaluation to learn more about compensation.

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Women injured by transvaginal mesh are suing product manufacturers in liability lawsuits that hold companies responsible for defective designs.

Thousands of women have been injured by transvaginal mesh. As the number of lawsuits increase, it seems that many of these individuals are standing up to the makers of dangerous mesh devices.

Women affected by transvaginal mesh are increasingly proving that they weren’t adequately warned about the product’s potential risks. Now, a new claim is emerging.

In addition to marketing failures, mesh makers are now being held legally liable for defects in their product design.

Poor Design Is A Major Factor In Mesh Litigation

Individuals can gain compensation from mesh makers liable for products that caused injuries and even death.
Image: Livestrong

Product liability lawsuits are gaining traction as prosecutors prove that mesh devices are made with an inherently defective design.

“An estimated 100,000 lawsuits have been filed in U.S. state and federal courts against companies that make transvaginal mesh devices, alleging that poor design and substandard materials can cause side effects such as bleeding, infection, and nerve damage,” according to a report published in Reuters.

Recently, a major mesh maker, Boston Scientific, has been ordered pay $100 million to patients who developed complications caused by faulty mesh products. Many of these women were implanted with Pinnacle and Advantage Fit vaginal mesh.

One  51-year-old patient underwent two reparative surgeries after her mesh was implanted  in 2009. The device, meant to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), is permanently infused with her tissue. She was awarded $25 million for her pain and suffering.

Thousands of women have been injured by defective mesh designs. If your vaginal mesh failed and required an additional surgery, then you might be entitled to compensation for receiving a faulty medical device.

Complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

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While the health agency in Scotland attempts to deal with complications caused by transvaginal mesh implants, the FDA has stayed quiet.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a public health communication about the dangers of transvaginal mesh for the first time in 2008. The warning came after the agency received over 1,000 reports from nine surgical mesh manufacturers in just three years.

The FDA’s initial safety communication described complications from transvaginal mesh as very rare. However, problems with transvaginal mesh implants are occurring around the world.

Some governments have recognized that they have failed to provide the kind of education that would protect mesh patients from suffering. Scotland has issued an apology for their lack of attention to the dangers of transvaginal mesh, committing to finding a better way to regulate the devices and inform the public about possible side effects.

A Governmental Apology Abroad

Shona Robison, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, apologized to victims of transvaginal mesh at a committee hearing in Oct. 2015.
Image: Huffington Post

In Scotland, transvaginal mesh devices caused a whole slew of complications for hundreds of women who had already been suffering from prolapse or urine issues.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) released data on how many women are affected by the devices. Of the 1,850 patients implanted with mesh in Scotland each year, the agency found:

• 1-3% stress urinary incontinence patients suffer complications.
• 2-6% pelvic organ prolapse patients suffer complications.

But the victims of transvaginal mesh felt that they had been ignored. They began to organize and fight for justice, coming together to create a group called Scottish Mesh Survivors. After launching a petition, the survivors finally got the government’s attention. The apology was later issued at a committee hearing.

“I’m happy to apologize to the women for having to basically campaign to bring it to everyone’s attention,” according to Shona Robison, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport in Scotland.

“It should never have taken women to have to campaign in this way to shine a light on this issue. I want to thank them for all that they have done. They have left a legacy for other women,” she added.

Two members of Scottish Mesh Survivors, Elaine Holmes and Olive McIlroy, have called for an independent investigation that would evaluate the safety of mesh devices. In addition, the agency is working to institute training programs for medical staff to better inform potential mesh patients about the possibility of side effects.

FDA Stays Quiet On The Subject

The U.S. government hasn’t released an update on transvaginal mesh since 2011.
Image: Daily Business Review

Although the U.S. government has spoken about mesh complications before, the agency has yet to follow suit. In 2011, the FDA updated the initial announcement in a safety communication that affirmed “serious complications associated with surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of POP are not rare.”

The statement also informed the public that the FDA will “evaluate the effects of using surgical mesh to repair SUI,” with the results being announced at a later date. It has been almost five years since the agency made this statement.

In the interim, many patients who have transvaginal mesh implants have experienced severe pain and suffering. If your vaginal mesh failed and required an additional surgery, then you might be entitled to compensation for receiving a faulty medical device.

Complete a free, no obligation case evaluation now to see if you qualify.

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A medical device known as transvaginal mesh can cause a variety of health problems that may require additional revision surgeries.

There is an little-known truth behind a medical device called transvaginal mesh. While it has many benefits, it is also associated with dangerous side effects.

Transvaginal mesh is a highly controversial medical device that has left thousands of women suffering. In many cases, the so-called permanent fix will require additional care and surgeries.

What is Transvaginal Mesh?

Prolapse occurs when parts of the body slip down or forward.
Image: Women’s Health Group

Transvaginal mesh is a polypropylene plastic implant that is surgically placed within the vagina. The plastic material is formed into various shapes to treat different medical issues. It can be classified as synthetic, biologic or a compound material.

The textured plastic creates lightweight pores that hinder inflammation in the body. The device is marketed as a permanent cure for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Mesh is recommended for women who recently gave birth, had a hysterectomy or are undergoing menopause. For women with hysterectomies, the device can support a vagina that has dropped after the uterus was removed.

Pelvic organ prolapse is marked by an abnormal detachment of the bladder, rectum and uterus. The mesh catches the falling organs and holds them in place.

On the other hand, stress urinary incontinence is the inability to control the bladder. The mesh raises the urethra to a normal positioning. While mesh offers solutions to certain conditions, it can also create a slew of new issues.

Implantation Complications

Transvaginal mesh often comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes to suit the needs and body type of each woman.
Image: Global Library of Women’s Medicine

Although the device has been on the market for decades, transvaginal mesh has been linked to a variety of complications. The FDA received more than 4,000 reports of complications between 2006 and 20011.

The implantation of transvaginal mesh can cause infections and problems with tissues and organs, in addition to a variety of other symptoms. The device may cause pain, nerve damage, bleeding, pain during intercourse, scarring and much more. The transvaginal mesh can deteriorate or migrate and cause additional issues, creating the need for a revision surgery.

The transvaginal mesh can become fused to surrounding organs and tissue. Because it is meant to be a permanent solution to medical problems, it often takes multiple surgeries to remove.

Mesh Lawsuits On The Rise

Martha Salazar was awarded $73 million in a 2014 transvaginal mesh lawsuit in Dallas.
Image: Dallas Observer

Transvaginal mesh was approved by the FDA in 1996 through the 510(k) process. Many critics claim the expedited approval process leaves little time for safety and effectiveness testing.

Almost 70,000 lawsuits are awaiting in West Virginia district courts alone, along with thousands in other state courts.

If your vaginal mesh failed and required additional surgery, then you might be entitled to compensation for receiving a faulty medical device. 

Click here to complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation to see if you qualify. 

The post The Truth About Transvaginal Mesh appeared first on Citizens Report.

Alexis Benter

U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin said that it could take decades and cost millions of dollars in fees to try the more than 70,000 transvaginal mesh lawsuits that have been filed against seven pharmaceutical companies. Goodwin has urged the device makers and the claimants to work harder to resolve one of the biggest U.S. mass torts in history, but has vowed to send the suits to trial if need be.

Thousands of women have claimed the transvaginal mesh devices, which are used to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, have caused painful infections, bleeding and other complications.

Your Legal Help

Intensive court-supervised meetings between key defendants Boston Scientific Corp, C.R. Bard and Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon Inc. and lawyers for the women have led to no resolutions.

Bard, Ethicon and Boston Scientific have had the most claims filed against them, and have each been hit with multimillion dollar verdicts that have increased the pressure to settle. The companies, however, are standing behind their devices, denying all claims that they are defective. Lawyers for the three main companies are ready to prepare hundreds of additional cases for trial if need be.

Not all of the device makers are pushing for trials. American Medical Systems, a subsidiary of Endo International Plc, has already decided to settle, setting aside $1.6 billion to resolve 20,000 lawsuits. Danish company Coloplast A/S has also settled a sizeable amount of the nearly 2,000 mesh lawsuits brought against it.

If you or a loved one has suffered from infection, bleeding, or other side effects of a transvaginal mesh device, you may be able to seek medical compensation. Click here to receive a free case evaluation.

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In the last three years, the agency said, it has received almost 3,000 reports of complications from transvaginal mesh that was inserted surgically to treat pelvic organ prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one of the pelvic organs — most commonly the bladder, but also possibly the urethra, uterus, vagina, small bowel or rectum — slips from its regular location to press against the vagina, causing pain and discomfort.

This occurs when the muscles and ligaments that should hold the organs in place are weakened or stretched. Most often a pelvic organ prolapse takes place after childbirth, or after a hysterectomy.

Doctors can use surgical mesh to repair those weakened tissues. Implants are put in to reinforce the vaginal wall, or to support the urethra to prevent urine leakage. MedPage Today, a news service for physicians, reports that at least 100,000 such procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2010.

If you required an additional follow-up procedure or surgery because of a mesh implant, click here!

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Click here to learn more about the side effects of transvaginal mesh implants, as well as the lawsuit settlements victims receive for their injuries.

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