New FDA Warning Outlines Risks Associated
With Vaginal Mesh and Pelvic Mesh Devices
On July 13, 2011, after receiving over 1500 adverse event reports relating to serious injuries caused by the implantation of polypropylene transvaginal device/mesh, the FDA issued a comprehensive medical alert to physicians warning that, in most instances, the risk of serious injury outweighed all purported benefits associated with the use of these devices. Specifically, the FDA found that traditional procedures, which did not utilize polypropylene devices/mesh, should be the primary course of treatment and that implantation of these devices should limited to procedures of last resort.
The attorneys of Frankovitch, Anetakis, Colantonio & Simon are actively litigating cases nationwide. Attorneys and staff are available to discuss individual cases and the best course of action for victims of failed transvaginal implants.
Recent Research Indicates Serious Risks and Complications
Victims of defective transvaginal mesh and pelvic/bladder support products are filing suit against the manufacturers nationwide following the shocking results of a clinical study. The study was stopped before completion because the problems they were seeing in patients were too severe to continue the research. More than 15 percent of women in the study experience the dangerous and painful condition known as “erosion,” in which the skin splits and the mesh protrudes.
The transvaginal products (mesh, tape and sling devices) are manufactured by several companies, including Ethicon/Gynecare/Johnson & Johnson and C.R.Bard, Inc., and are marketed as solutions for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Many patients have reported experiencing serious problems, including: pain (during urination/intercourse and/or localized); infection; migration; erosion and corrective surgeries. According to a recent article in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, patients would have been better off with traditional treatment.
Among the defective devices, the Mentor ObTape and Bard’s synthetic and/or biologic Avaulta mesh have been associated with serious complications. In 2006, after numerous reports of adverse events surfaced, Mentor discontinued sales of its ObTape. More recently, adverse reports regarding the Bard Avaulta product line, marketed as the Avaulta Solo™ Synthetic and Avaulta Anterior and Posterior Biosynthetic Support Systems, have caught the attention of the medical community and the FDA. However, all synthetic and biologic devices sold in the United States are under investigation regarding problems with device degradation, infection and vaginal wall erosion.
Prior Transvaginal Mesh Warnings From the FDA
In 2008, the FDA issued a Safety Alert to doctors and the public. This alert reported that the most frequent complications included:
- Mesh erosion through vaginal wall or other body parts
- Infection
- Pain
- Urinary problems
- Recurrence of prolapse and/or incontinence
- Bladder, bowel or vessel perforation
- Vaginal scarring
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Other problems that led to a significant decrease in patient quality of life due
to discomfort and pain.
Four Transvaginal Device Manufacturers Implicated
 Johnson & Johnson®
- Ethicon® TVT
- Gynecare® TVT
- Gynecare® Prosima
- Gynecare® Prolift
- Gynemesh® PS
Boston Scientific®
- Advantage™ Sling System
- Obtryx® Curved Single
- Obtryx® Mesh Sling
- Prefyx Mid U™ Mesh Sling System
- Prefyx PPS™ System
- Arise®
- Pinnacle®
- Lynx®
- Solyx®
C.R. Bard®
- Avaulta Plus™ BioSynthetic Support
- Avaulta Solo™ Synthetic Support
- Faslata® Allograft
- Pelvicol® Tissue
- PelviSoft® Biomesh
- Pelvitex™ Polypropylene Mesh
American Medical Systems®
- SPARC®
- BioArc®
- MiniArc®
- Elevate®
- Monarc®
- Perigree®
- In-Fast®
- Apogee®
Legal claims are being made NOW.
Get compensated for your injuries. Contact our lawyers about defective medical devices.
If a medical devicemanufacturer learns of a potential serious side effect caused by its products, it has a responsibility to notify the physicians who prescribe the devices in order to protect the safety of the patients. If a device manufacturer does not provide the proper notifications and patients are harmed by its products, the harmed patients may be entitled to compensation.
Our attorneys are experts in handling cases of negligence by large drug companies and medical device manufacturers. They have successfully represented and obtained substantial compensation for a number of patients who have been harmed by medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs. |
If you or someone you love has been affected by a defective Vaginal Mesh or Pelvic Mesh product, you could be entitled to monetary compensation. Call us toll free at 1 (877) 59-TOUGH, or complete the form below.
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