February 21, 2019 Companies continue to manufacture and distribute hernia mesh medical devices for doctors to use on patients even after numerous recalls.
A well-known surgical mesh material often used to manufacturer hernia mesh devices, has been found to cause life-altering problems in patients who have it implanted in their bodies. Despite knowing of the dangers associated with polypropylene (pä-lē-ˈprō-pə-ˌlēn) mesh, companies continue to manufacture and distribute hernia mesh implants made from the hazardous material. One such hernia mesh manufacturer is Johnson & Johnson. The company developed its own polypropylene hernia mesh device through its subsidiary, Ethicon Inc.
What is Hernia Mesh?
Hernia Mesh is a medical device used to provide additional support to a patient’s weakened or damaged muscle tissue. While initially created to resolve medical issues, the truth is that a hernia mesh medical device can cause a host of issues.
Although other treatment techniques are available, hernia mesh is a popular medical device used to repair herniated tissue. Hernias are the bulges that occur when an internal organ pushes through the wall of muscle or tissue surrounding it. Left untreated they can cause discomfort, pain, and more dangerous conditions such as intestinal blockages.
Why do they continue to be used? One reason is that manufacturers and distributors market the medical device as a quicker and less technical fix than other surgical treatments. Arguably, mesh implants do not require the advanced skill level need to perform the delicate process of repairing the herniated tissue that is necessary for alternative repair techniques.
Hernia Mesh Complications
Hernia mesh complications range in severity from a lack of hernia relief to pieces of the device breaking away from the implanted area and migrating through the body, causing painful infections. The problems that a mesh medical device may cause can be quite dire including:
- Pain
- Infection
- Hernia recurrence
- Scar-like tissue that sticks tissues together
- Blockage of the large or small intestine (obstruction)
- Bleeding
- Abnormal connections between organs, vessels, or intestines (fistula).
- Fluid build-up at the surgical site (seroma)
- A hole in neighboring tissues or organs (perforation)
- Migration and mesh shrinkage (contraction)
In addition, chemicals in the polypropylene hinder the healing process. The product that is supposed to aid in a patient’s recovery can do the exact opposite. These tragedies can result when the mesh interferes with other tissues and organs. FDA Recalls for polypropylene surgical mesh products state that the risks of the mesh include bodily injury and even death.
How Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel Can Help You with your Mesh Medical Device Case?
Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel has a national reputation, a wealth of experience, and for over 20 years has been representing clients injured by dangerous products and unsafe medical devices. We treat our clients with the utmost compassion while aggressively representing their case. Our clients are not just case-numbers. They are real people dealing with the biggest issues they will ever face. We stand with them for however long doing whatever it takes for justice to be served. To learn more about Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, or to have one of our medical device lawyers review your potential hernia mesh case, contact us by email or call 800.226.9880.
