ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM PAIN AFTER HERNIA MESH REPAIR SURGERY?

While a hernia mesh implant can fail for any number of reasons, poor or defective product material or device design are often the culprits. These factors can lead to surgical site infection, adhesion to other organs or body tissue, bowel obstruction or even a hernia recurrence. Below are some indications of a hernia mesh failure of which patients should be aware:

• Pain, discomfort, bruising or swelling in the abdomen or groin
• A noticeable lump in or around the original hernia site
• Redness, soreness and warmth in the area of the surgical incision
• Abdominal bloating or inability to pass stools
• Fluid build-up near the surgical site
• Fever, nausea and vomiting

In some cases, certain surgical mesh devices used in specific applications don’t fall within the parameters of ongoing mass tort lawsuits—thus, it’s important to ascertain details regarding the device in question, its manufacturer and its implementation by the surgeon.

It’s important that you complete the following steps:

• Contact the surgeon who performed the operation
• Request medical records from the hospital (will need authorization pursuant to HIPPA)
• Crosscheck device name with list of applicable manufacturers and products (see below)

In some instances, we may be able to order and review your medical records on your behalf to determine if you may have a case. Contact us to find out.

Anyone who has undergone laparoscopic surgery to repair a hernia may be at risk for developing complications—especially if the surgery occurred in the past 15 years. The side effects that one may experience are not limited to pain, fever, signs of infection or swelling in the area. In fact, many patients could experience a partial or complete failure of a hernia mesh device with mild to no symptoms that might be attributed to other more common maladies.

In an effort to be more competitive with sales of hernia mesh, some companies released “new and improved” products that might not have been fully tested over a long enough period of time. Many of the newer synthetic meshes, such as Ethicon’s Physiomesh and C-QUR by Atrium, were approved via the FDA’s 510(k) process—a fast-track review developed for new devices that are deemed to be similar to an already approved medical device.

Because these meshes were considered comparable to another product that simply utilized a newer synthesized material, they were not subject to the same stringent safety testing as new products, nor were they tested in specific applications, such as being used to repair the abdominal wall. Subsequent studies have shown the synthetic polypropylene material used by many manufacturers—along with the biocoating some used to combat inflammation within the body—has caused many of the problems associated with these newer products.

While all surgical devices, such as hernia mesh, must be approved by the FDA for safe use, some problems do not appear until after some time following the implant of the product. For most hernia mesh devices, the problems that have surfaced over time include the following:

Migration – When the hernia mesh moves within the body

Contraction – The mesh will actually collapse on itself, no longer covering the hernia location

Adhesion – Development of scar-like tissue that causes organs, muscle and body tissue to stick together

Fistula – An abnormal connection between organs or the intestinal tract, the latter allowing for leakage into a body cavity or through the skin

Obstruction – The hernia mesh device can cause a blockage in the large or small intestine

Perforation – Irritation or abrasion from the mesh causes a hole in the bowels or neighboring organ

Before the advent of surgical mesh, hernias were repaired with sutures—basically the doctor would stitch the torn tissue back together. This process would simply patch together tissue or muscle that had already been weakened to the point of rupturing or tearing, thus increasing the chance of a recurrence in the future.

By introducing a new, stronger material (hernia mesh) into the repair, doctors successfully reduced the risk of a recurring hernia—yet the new devices introduced complications that can be more debilitating than the hernia itself.