In the United States, the number of patients negatively affected by hernia mesh products made by Ethicon Inc. and Atrium Medical Corp. has surged in recent years, prompting not just complaints, but hernia mesh lawsuits.
As the lawsuits pick up steam in the U.S. legal system, claims of injuries are also increasing internationally. More patients than ever argue that defective surgical mesh left them with life-altering consequences. Many people in this situation had to go through revision surgery.
Claims Behind Most Hernia Mesh Lawsuits in the U.S.
The mesh is marketed as a popular tool for use with hernia surgery. Unfortunately, however, many patients have experienced breakdown of the material or even adhesion to their internal organs. When this happens and they return to their doctor for revision surgery, the risks associated with that repair surgery are much higher if adhesion has happened..
The surgeries for hernia mesh removal can take hours when the material has adhered to the inside of the body. It requires precision on the part of the surgeon, and due to the extensive surgical time and possibility for infection, patients may continue to suffer even after the mesh has been removed.
Those who have had the mesh removed report that they still suffer from pain and have limited mobility. In addition to severe pain, hernia mesh use has also been linked to at least four fatalities in New Zealand.
Status of Hernia Mesh Lawsuits in the U.S.
What scope these issues will take globally remains to be seen, but in the U.S., two consolidated lawsuits have already been created in federal courts. Those allege that makers Ethicon Inc. and Atrium Medical Corp. knew about the risks or should have known and failed to warn patients or doctors.
Plastic filaments are used inside the hernia mesh products and these devices were first brought to the U.S. market in 2010. Plaintiffs who filed hernia mesh lawsuits already have suffered a broad range of medical problems, from mesh erosion to perforations, infections, adhesions, and other complications..
The purpose of the plastic-based patch was to reduce inflammation and to allow the patch to incorporate into the body. As numerous claims argue, however, the hernia mesh functions so as to endanger the patient’s life with severe complications, many of which can only be reversed with complex revision surgery.
In May of 2016, Ethicon announced their withdrawal of the Physiomesh composite mesh product after European research found that the product was linked to higher recurrence and revision rates than other products on the market created for similar purposes. Those patients who have been injured have to cope with the physical, emotional, and financial complications of revision surgery. Many have chosen to file hernia mesh lawsuits..
If you believe that you have a legal claim, consult with the lawyers at McDonald Worley today. Fill out the form on this page to receive a free case evaluation.