Five Top Health Risks with Hernia Mesh Implant

A hernia mesh revision surgery (also called a hernioplasty) is a long as well as painful procedure. To treat the condition, use of surgical mesh implants have been common for decades now. Sadly, these hernia mesh repairs have been linked with unwanted side effects, some of which are even life threatening.

In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a class I recall (the most serious type) to those manufacturers who were thought to have passed on counterfeit surgical meshes in the market. The victims of such medical devices filed for hernia mesh surgery lawsuit claiming for the damage awards in terms of financial compensation.

Did you know about the different types of hernia?

• Inguinal: inner groin
• Femoral: outer groin
• Umbilical: belly button
• Incisional: resulting from an incision
• Hiatal: upper stomach

Knowing about the complications

The patients complained about the following health issues and complications after the mesh implant. Had you been seeing any of the issues, do not delay to get in touch with your health provider.

Chronic infections

According to studies, close to 8 percent of patients are prone to some bacterial infection after the hernia mesh repair. The risk of infection is further enhanced if the victims is prey to obesity, suffers from diabetes, or has some form of immunosuppressant. Understandably, the risk is greater when the surgery is not done through laparoscopy. Further, research revealed there could be associated risks with the implant of multifilament polyester mesh, rather than knitted monofilament polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene because the former has more scope for erosion and adhesion.

Did you know that infections could take up to two weeks to 39 months to surface? The most common symptoms are pain, tenderness, skin redness (erythema), swelling, and higher abdominal wall temperature. Be very cautious if there is any intra-abdominal abscess, discharging fistula, or osteomyelitis.

 
Adhesions

Adhesions are basically the scar tissues which are formed between two surfaces in the human body as hernia mesh side effects. It is commonly seen in patients after suffering from a traumatic injury which develops as a retort to the implantation of a foreign body like hernia mesh.

Studies found about 67 to 93 percent of abdominal hernia mesh surgery patients suffered from the concerns of adhesion. Many were admitted to the hospital for complications, and one in 20 patients had to go for a secondary operation.

What makes this a bigger health issue is that this complication can be really challenging to detect.

Hernia Recurrence

While the hernia recurrence rate is definitely lower in a mesh repair compared to the exiting procedures, there are still chances. , It is more in patients who are obese, diabetic, malnourished, anaemic, smokers, jaundiced, weight lifters (or anyone who lifts heavy items soon after the surgery), or taking steroids.

Bowel Obstruction

Did you know that hernias are the second-highest cause of bowel obstructions? Unfortunately, the repair surgeries can also lead to adhesions as hernia mesh side effects which hinders the bowel movement. FDA’s analysis of medical adverse event reports showed that faulty meshes were one of the primary causes of bowel perforation as well as obstruction.

Cramping, vomiting, bloating, nausea inability to pass gas, and sudden shocks of abdominal pain are symptoms of possible bowel obstructions.

Even though the condition seems a secondary issue, it can cut off blood supply to the intestines, if left undiagnosed or untreated. The only way to treat a complicated bowel obstruction is through surgical intervention.

Mesh Migration

Composite dual polypropylene meshes are most prone to migration. Inadequate fixation of the mesh to the fascia or inflammatory reaction to the mesh for years can lead to the degeneration of the implant. There is no time limit to this but can take five to 30 years for the mesh to degenerate.  Regular ultrasound or CT technology is needed to evaluate if there is any misplacement of the device. It is a rare condition and may give rise to mass formation, acute intestinal obstruction, chronic abdominal pain, as well as bowel perforation.

Suffering complications from defective hernia mesh implant? Set up a free evaluation of your case at no upfront cost with the experts of Herniamesh.network. Visit http://herniamesh.network or dial 855-632-6117 to know about the eligibility of financial compensation.

Three Things that determine whether you have a Hernia Mesh Lawsuit

The hernia mesh surgeries have caused multiple complications to several victims. In most cases, these complications require expensive and risky reparative surgeries. The write-up points out three important things that determine whether you have a strong hernia mesh lawsuit.

The hernia, a small bulge developed in the abdomen has been one of the most commonly reported disorders in America today. Close to 800,000 Americans undergo surgical procedures to fix the condition with the help of a surgical mesh. However, a huge percentage of these victims suffer from multiple complications after the surgery.

The side effects include pain, adhesion, possible nerve damage, and so on. Currently, close to 5,000 lawsuits are pending against the mesh manufacturers in the federal and the state courts of the country. Most victims plan on using the compensation, earned from hernia mesh lawsuit settlement, for the reparative surgeries or removing the mesh implant.

The following pointers determine whether you have a case against the mesh manufacturers. Let's look at them one by one:

1. Getting the necessary medical records

Firstly, you will need to get hold of your complete medical records, including the Operative Report. The file contains the information regarding the mesh implant used in your procedure. Moreover, it also contains a summary of the surgery. Ideally, the hospital, where the hernia mesh surgery took place, can provide the file on request.

2. Checking for recalled mesh

Next step would be to verify whether you were fitted with a recalled mesh. Consult the operative report to check which mesh implant was used during your surgery, and tally it with the list of recalled meshes. If you were fitted with faulty mesh, then you have a strong case. The recalled meshes are known to cause several complications among patients. Faulty design, substandard materials used during production, and lack of sterilization are some of the reasons why the mesh is recalled.

3. Medical revision

Now that it is established that you were fitted with a recalled mesh implant, all you have to do is prove that the complications you are facing are caused by the given implant, and need an immediate medical revision. In this given circumstances, the medical revision would mean removing part or complete mesh from your body.

Victims like you, fitted with a recalled mesh and needing revision surgery, make a strong case. You could be eligible for compensation against the hernia mesh surgery lawsuit. Talk to the legal representatives of the Hernia Mesh Network, to know more about your legal options. They are eager to hear your story. For more information, visit http://herniamesh.network or call (855) 632-6117.

Complications of Mesh Surgery Leading to Lawsuits

If you’re implanted with hernia mesh, there are chances that you are going to experience more traumas post the surgery. Though the surgical mesh was introduced with the intention to cure the disorder, it ultimately resulted in further distress and suffering. You may be a victim too. Read to be sure.

Visualize this. You are suffering from pain, distress and discomfort near your groin area or abdominal region. You are diagnosed with hernia. And you are recommended with a surgery to be done by mesh implant. But, ironically and sadly, you don’t get over your sufferings, as hernia mesh complications follow putting you in further agony.

However, there is no conclusive data to show or confirm that the complications would be same or similar for all the patients. Although it confirms one thing – that the medical device wasn’t properly checked and verified before it got approval by the FDA.

What complications were noticed post the mesh surgery?

There were several common and severe complications that happened after the mesh implant. Some of the most common ones included:

•    Perforated intestines
•    Abdominal wall tears
•    Hernia recurrence
•    Chronic pain
•    Infection
•    Nerve entrapment
•    Scar tissue buildup

Serious complications arising due to surgical mesh

Apart from the aforementioned complications and side effects, there can be some serious ones which are not only extremely painful, but also life-threatening at times. Many of them might demand for a correction surgery which can lead to further complications. Major ones of those include:

a)    Adhesion

Studies show that around 21% of patients who have undergone mesh implant needed an additional surgery to remove part of their bowel as the device got adhered to the intestines.

b)    Bowel obstruction

Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and the inability to pass stool or gas could be a possible symptom of defective device giving rise to hernia mesh complications. This is a dangerous condition that calls for immediate treatment, and if left untreated, the obstruction can cut off blood flow killing a part of the intestine.

c)    Migration

This is one of the most dangerous side effects that involve the mesh getting in contact with the intestines or gallbladder. Under such condition, it might result in “ingrowth”, where the dislocated mesh starts growing inside the organ.

Some post-surgery pain is quite normal, but if the pain sustains for longer than normal or tolerable level, the victim must contact the doctor followed by legal help to claim hernia mesh lawsuit settlement. For the latter, you may get in touch with the legal bodies at Hernia Mesh Network by visiting on http://herniamesh.network. You may also call them up at 1(855) 632-6117 for details and further information.