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We consistently hold the makers of unsafe medical devices accountable.

Transvaginal Mesh

We fight for women victimized by unsafe transvaginal mesh products.

Around 40 percent of all women experience some form of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in their lives. POP occurs when the pelvic floor tissues holding up the uterus, bladder and bowel become weakened or stretched, usually from pregnancy and childbirth. Without enough support, those organs descend from their normal position and bulge into the vagina. Weakened pelvic muscles also cause up to 35 percent of all women to suffer with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), in which they lose bladder control while laughing, coughing, or lifting something heavy.

Until recently, the surgeries to correct POP and SUI were complicated procedures performed by highly trained and specialized surgeons. That changed ten or so years ago when medical device makers began to market and sell the same mesh patches used for hernia repair for the treatment of POP and SUI as well. Inserting a piece of pre-packaged surgical mesh through the vagina and stitching it into place with the enclosed needle or fastening system is faster, cheaper and requires less skill than the traditional painstaking surgical methods. In 2010 alone, around 75,000 women underwent POP repair surgery in which surgical mesh was inserted transvaginally, while surgeons used the traditional method for only 25,000 women in the same year.  Even more women were treated for SUI with a bladder sling made from surgical mesh inserted transvaginally.

The problems with transvaginal mesh are two-fold: the product itself is defective and the manufacturers do not adequately inform or train the surgeons they persuade to use the mesh.  Thousands of women have experienced serious complications from transvaginal mesh and bladder sling surgeries. The mesh can erode and migrate through the vaginal wall, causing excruciating pain, infection, and bleeding. Often these problems can be corrected only by additional surgeries, which are extremely complicated because the mesh imbeds itself into the surrounding tissue and is difficult to surgically remove. To make matters worse, it’s not always easy to find a skilled surgeon willing to perform corrective surgery. And it may take more than one surgery to correct the problem.

In July 2011, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a Safety Communication, warning that serious complications with transvaginal mesh surgery are not rare. Further, the FDA cautioned, it is not clear that transvaginal mesh surgery is more effective for repairing POP than the traditional surgical approach. In January 2012, the FDA went further to announce that it may decide to reclassify transvaginal mesh from Class II to Class III. The FDA’s Class III medical devices are the most risky of all, require greater regulation, and usually need FDA approval before they can be marketed.

How Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel speaks for you

Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel enjoys a national reputation and a wealth of experience representing clients injured by dangerous products and unsafe medical devices. We understand that transvaginal mesh is a women’s issue. Injuries caused by transvaginal mesh are personal and they’re sensitive. That’s why we’ve assembled a legal team of transvaginal mesh lawyers, most of whom are women, to provide our transvaginal mesh clients with compassionate and aggressive representation throughout the entire course of litigation. To learn more about Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, or to have one of our attorneys review your potential transvaginal mesh case, email us or call 800.226.9880.

Physical Injuries Caused by Transvaginal Mesh:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Bleeding
  • Discharge
  • Foul odors
  • Infection
  • Inflammation
  • Mesh erosion and degradation
  • Nerve damage
  • Neuro-muscular difficulties
  • Organ perforation
  • Pain in the groin
  • Pain during sex
  • Prolapse problem
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Urinary problems
  • Vaginal scarring or shrinkage

Mesh Devices:

  • Transvaginal Mesh (TVM)
  • Vaginal Mesh
  • Bladder Sling
  • Surgical Mesh
  • Mesh Patch
  • Pelvic Mesh
  • Vaginal Sling
  • Hernia Patch

Emotional Injuries:

  • Decreased quality of life
  • Depression
  • Feelings of inadequacy
  • Interference with relationships
  • Loss of enjoyment for life
  • Loss of self-esteem
  • Loss of sexual desire and enjoyment of sex

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