Many women have experienced stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse (pop) caused by pelvic muscles and tissue weakening from childbirth, surgeries and even from menopause. A pelvic organ prolapse is when your pelvic muscles are no longer able to support the pelvic organs like the bladder and urethra. These organs may fall or drop forward into the vagina wall. This was commonly treated with surgery using vaginal mesh. However, these vaginal meshes had complications and side effects.
Every year, women have surgery to repair pelvic organ prolapse. The FDA has received a large amount of complaints from the usage of transvaginal mesh. In July 2011, the FDA announced an increased risk of serious complications and pain associated with surgical mesh implants.
Identified Problems
The complications that are caused from transvaginal mesh implants include:
- Mesh Failure
- Infections
- Vaginal Pain
- Urinary Problems
- Pelvic Pain
- Erosion
- Injury to Organs
- Pain During Sex
- Hardening of the Vaginal Mesh
- Bleeding
- Recurrence of Prolapse
- Organ perforation
Manufacturers Involved
Possible complications were first brought to the public’s attention from the FDA in 2008. It was noted that these complications were rare and in 2009 to 2010 the FDA received hundreds of new reports about complications from transvaginal mesh. The FDA conducted a new study focusing on the risks and complications associated with vaginal mesh.
The following in a brief list of manufacturers whose products have been reported:
- Johnson & Johnson
- GyneCare Prolift/Ethicon
- Boston Scientific
- Caldera
- Sofradium
- Tyco
- C.R. Bard Avaulta
- Ameican Medical Systems
- Mentor Corporation
These complications are serious and should not be taken lightly. Talk to your doctor if you have had surgery and are experiencing any of these symptoms or if you have not had the surgery yet, discuss all your options. Also, talk to a lawyer if you have had the surgery and are experiencing any of the symptoms or used a surgical mesh from one of the manufacturers listed above.