Hernia MeshHave you or someone you love suffered serious complications after a hernia repair surgery? Do you believe that the hernia mesh used in your treatment caused your injuries? You may be entitled to compensation by filing a hernia mesh lawsuit. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to learn about your legal rights. Hiring an attorney will put you in the best position to maximize your financial award.

Our compassionate legal team understands that the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of a hernia mesh injury can be overwhelming. We’re prepared to help you fight for the money you deserve. Call our office to schedule your free no obligation consultation today. Our hernia mesh lawyers will review your case and answer any questions you have.

Why Are People Filing Hernia Mesh Lawsuits?

Hernia Mesh InjuryOne million hernia repair surgeries are performed every year. The vast majority of these surgeries utilize hernia mesh. Unfortunately, one out of every three patients reports chronic pain after hernia repair surgery. Defective hernia mesh devices appear to be responsible for many patients’ injuries.

Infection: There’s always a risk of infection when you undergo surgery. However, it appears as though the risk of infection may be higher when your surgery involves hernia mesh. The mesh can become contaminated before or after implantation and cause life-threatening infections. If you develop a hernia mesh infection you may need a second surgery to remove the dangerous device.

Mesh Migration: Hernia mesh should adhere to weakened and damaged tissue at the site of a hernia. Unfortunately, some meshes move and shrink in the body after implantation. This can cause organ perforation, bowel tears, and life-threatening intestinal blockages.

Mesh Erosion: Many hernia repair patients have suffered injuries because of hernia mesh erosion. Materials used to make surgical mesh should be able to survive within the body without issue. Unfortunately, many manufacturers have relied on cheap plastics that erode over time. Erosion can cause severe pain and result in hernia recurrence. You may have to undergo additional surgeries to repair any injuries or damage caused by hernia mesh erosion.

Hernia mesh manufacturers have an obligation to make sure that the medical devices they design and sell are safe. Any known issues, risks, or hazards associated with hernia mesh must be disclosed. Unfortunately, many companies have marketed and sold defective hernia mesh products without adequate warning. Hernia repair patients have suffered unnecessarily as a result.

Have you experienced pain or distress after your hernia repair surgery? Defective hernia mesh could be to blame. You may have the right to seek compensation from the device’s manufacturer. Contact our experienced hernia mesh attorneys for immediate assistance. Your first consultation is free, so do not hesitate to call for help now.

Statute of Limitations for Hernia Mesh Lawsuit

It’s important to act quickly once you’ve discovered a hernia mesh injury. Your right to file a lawsuit against a manufacturer will not last forever. Since hernia mesh claims are based on product liability, your case will be subject to any statute of limitations that regulate product liability matters.

A statute of limitations sets the amount of time you have to pursue compensation after an injury. The clock set by the statute of limitations will begin to run when you discover that your injuries have been caused by defective hernia mesh.

The specific amount of time you have will depend on your state’s specific laws. Your claim will not be valid if it is filed after the statute of limitations expires.

How can you protect your legal right to file a hernia mesh lawsuit? Contact an experienced hernia mesh injury lawyer as soon as you’ve learned about your injury. Call Rosen Injury Lawyers to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.

How Much Money Can I Get If I File a Hernia Mesh Lawsuit?

You needed surgery to repair a painful hernia. You were told that hernia mesh would offer the best support and get you back on your feet quickly. What you weren’t told is that defective hernia mesh devices can increase the risk of infection and cause serious health issues.

If you do suffer a hernia mesh injury, you shouldn’t be forced to cover the costs on your own. You have a right to hold the manufacturer responsible for harm caused by their defective mesh products.

When you file a hernia repair lawsuit, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

Do you have a legitimate hernia mesh lawsuit? Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to find out. Our experienced hernia mesh injury lawyers will review your case and explain your legal options. Call to schedule your free consultation now.

What is Hernia Mesh?

Surgical mesh is a medical device that’s engineered to support and hold organs in place after surgery. Specific meshes have been designed for use in hernia surgeries. These meshes are known as hernia mesh.

Why Use Hernia Mesh?

Decades ago, hernia repair involved stitching the affected area closed. However, relying on stitches alone isn’t always the most effective treatment. Studies show that between 25 and 50 percent of hernias recur after a stitch-only procedure. When surgical mesh was developed, hernia repair surgeries became much more effective. The risk of a recurrent hernia can be much lower when surgical mesh is used in the repair surgery.

What Does Hernia Mesh Do?

Hernia mesh is inserted into the body during a hernia repair surgery. The mesh, which is a flexible, loosely-woven prosthetic, is attached to damaged or weakened tissue at the site of a hernia. This creates tension and helps to strengthen the affected area. The mesh supports organs and keeps them in place while the body heals.

Types of Hernia Mesh

Hernia mesh products will fall into one of three categories: synthetic, composite, or biologic.

Synthetic Mesh: Synthetic hernia mesh is made from synthetic materials, primarily polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene. Synthetic meshes are often selected  because they are believed to attach and grow into weakened tissue quite easily.

Composite Mesh: Composite mesh is comprised of two different materials, typically including titanium, polypropylene, monocryl, polyvinylidene fluoride, and omega-3. Using more than one material allows the mesh to serve a dual function. One side of the mesh is engineered to attach to the abdominal wall, while the other is engineered to prevent adhesion to surrounding tissue.

Biologic Mesh: Biologic mesh is made from human, pig, or cow tissue. Biologic meshes are preferred when a hernia site is infected or contaminated.

Hernia Mesh Complications

Defective hernia mesh devices are associated with an increased risk of many health complications. These include:

These complications shouldn’t be commonplace after a hernia repair surgery. Unfortunately, defective hernia mesh devices have made this a reality for many hernia patients.

Seek medical attention immediately if you suffer any discomfort or distress following your hernia surgery. Prompt medical attention can limit the damage caused by a defective mesh device.

Why Does Hernia Mesh Cause So Many Complications?

Hernia mesh is a foreign object that’s inserted into the body. If the device is not designed and manufactured properly, serious health complications can arise. Many hernia mesh complications are due to the materials used in the devices themselves.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is an incredibly inexpensive type of plastic. It’s used in a variety of products, ranging from fishing line to packaging materials to automotive parts. Surprisingly, polypropylene is also widely used in hernia mesh products.

Polypropylene is popular not only because it’s cheap, but also because it can be manufactured into what is known as a living hinge. A living hinge is a very thin, flexible sheet of plastic that can bend without breaking. In theory, this makes it a great material for surgical mesh. Mesh needs to be able to bend, flex, and move within the body easily.

However, polypropylene is actually not an ideal material for surgical mesh. In fact, polypropylene manufacturers even advise against using the plastic in “applications involving permanent implantation into the body.” This is because polypropylene is known to change and degrade over time.

Hernia mesh manufacturers have long argued that the plastics used in their hernia mesh products are inert. In other words, the plastics will remain stable and won’t degrade. However, recent studies have found that polypropylene does oxidize and degrade after surgical implantation. This can trigger inflammation, mesh migration, mesh shifting, and mesh shrinkage.

Polypropylene Coatings

After learning about the risks associated with polypropylene, hernia mesh manufacturers could have stopped producing mesh with the dangerous plastic. However, this would have been expensive and time-consuming. Instead of finding a suitable replacement for the flexible plastic, companies began to coat the mesh with other materials. Unfortunately, many of the coatings used in hernia mesh devices have caused significant health complications.

Adhesion Issues: When hernia mesh is implanted, one side should be sticky and one side should be slick. The sticky side faces out and is intended to integrate into the abdominal wall. The slick side faces inward and acts as a protective barrier to internal organs and tissue. Many companies have relied on absorbable coatings that were engineered to reduce adhesion. Unfortunately, studies now show that many of these coatings actually increase adhesion with internal organs and tissue.

Absorption: Any coating applied to a hernia mesh product must be permanent. Health issues can arise when the coating fails to adhere to the mesh after implantation. Patients can experience renal failure and liver damage when the blood absorbs toxic coatings. Once the protective coating has been removed, the underlying polypropylene mesh can oxidize, degrade, and cause inflammation.

Signs of Surgical Mesh Rejection

Have you experienced severe pain, discomfort, or distress after a hernia repair surgery? You may be experiencing complications associated with hernia mesh rejection. Signs of hernia mesh rejection include:

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms after a hernia repair surgery. Hernia mesh-related injuries can become worse if they are not diagnosed or treated right away.

Hernia Mesh Recalls

Several hernia mesh products have been recalled because of the threat they pose to patients. Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers if you or someone you love has been injured because of defective hernia mesh.

Physiomesh Recall

In 2016, Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson, issued a voluntary recall for Physiomesh. The recall was prompted by two independent studies that found the use of Physiomesh was associated with high risks of hernia recurrence and revision surgery.

Complications associated with Physiomesh were attributed, in part, to an absorbable coating used on both sides of the device. Having an absorbable coating on both sides can prevent proper tissue integration.

Health issues reported after Physiomesh implantation have included:

C-Qur Mesh Recall

Surgical mesh is only intended to attach to the abdominal wall or external muscles where a hernia occurred. The interior side of the mesh should never adhere to soft tissue or organs. Atrium’s C-Qur hernia mesh product was recalled when it was discovered that the device had a tendency to adhere to the intestines after implantation.

Health issues reported after C-Qur mesh implantation have included:

Following the recall, an investigation found that Atrium, the mesh’s manufacturer, had repeatedly deviated from proper medical device manufacturing processes. As a result, it distributed “adulterated and misbranded medical devices” that put patients in serious jeopardy. A federal court issued a permanent injunction against the company and limited its ability to sell medical devices.

Versatex Monofilament Mesh Recall

In 2018, Sofradim’s Versatex Monofilament mesh was recalled due to unusually high rates of hernia recurrence. The recall currently only affects the 50x50cm size device.

Health issues reported after Versatex Monofilament mesh implantation have included:

ProLite Mesh Recall

In 2018, Atrium’s ProLite Mesh patches were recalled after the company discovered that product packages were mislabeled. All hernia mesh devices are not the same. Using hernia mesh that is not approved for a particular use can have devastating health consequences.

What If My Hernia Mesh Has Been Recalled?

Contact your doctor if you have learned that the manufacturer or the FDA have recalled the hernia mesh used in your repair surgery. If your health is in jeopardy, you may need to undergo additional surgery to repair the injury and replace the defective device. Prompt medical attention will help to mitigate any damage caused by the defective mesh.

Once you’ve spoken with your doctor, do not hesitate to contact Rosen Injury Lawyers for legal assistance. You may have the right to file a hernia mesh lawsuit. A pharmaceutical company can still be held fully accountable for injuries caused by defective products, even if a recall is issued. Call to schedule your free consultation today.

What is a Hernia?

A hernia is a medical condition where an organ pushes through muscle or tissue that typically holds it in place. The result can be very painful and debilitating. Hernias are typically seen in the abdomen, but can also occur in the groin and legs.

Types of Hernias

There are many different types of hernias. The specific type of hernia you have will determine which treatments may be most appropriate.

Inguinal Hernia: An inguinal hernia occurs when the intestines push through the inguinal canal, which is located in the lower abdomen. The inguinal canal plays a vital role in holding up male and female reproductive organs, including the testicles and uterus. An inguinal hernia can cause significant pain in the lower abdomen and limit sexual function. Inguinal hernias account for 70 percent of all hernias in the United States.

Umbilical Hernia: An umbilical hernia occurs when the intestines push through the abdominal wall near the navel. This type of hernia typically occurs in young children under the age of six..

Ventral Hernia: A ventral hernia occurs when the intestines or other tissue extend through a weak point in the abdominal wall. Ventral hernias are often called incisional hernias because they form at the site of a previous surgical incision. If you’ve had a hernia repair surgery in the past, there may be a heightened risk of developing a ventral hernia.

Femoral Hernia: A femoral hernia occurs when tissue extends past the femoral canal, which is located in your upper thigh. Femoral hernias, if left untreated, can have severe side effects, including obstructed blood flow and intestinal blockages.

Hernias rarely go away on their own and oftentimes require some sort of medical treatment. For the past 50 years, it’s been common practice to use surgical mesh to in hernia repair surgeries.

Contact Our Hernia Mesh Injury Lawyers

Hernia mesh is intended to speed up your recovery and prevent hernia recurrence. Unfortunately, defective hernia mesh devices can cause significant pain, suffering, and distress. If you’ve suffered a hernia mesh injury, you may be entitled to compensation.

Contact Rosen Injury Lawyers to find out how we can help you get the money you deserve. Your first consultation is free, so do not hesitate to call for help now.