Medical devices are supposed to make life easier for patients. But sometimes, gender bias affects and influences the development and clinical trial of the technology design. For example, devices geared toward women have a higher chance of failure. That’s because manufacturers fail to consider hormonal or anatomical differences.
For example, copper IUDs and breast implants pose a huge threat to women’s health. Implanting these devices has caused them to develop chronic health issues like cancer, infections, organ perforation, etc. But the transvaginal mesh devices take the throne for being the most dangerous.
In this blog, we will discuss vaginal mesh usage, the lawsuit, and some real-life stories.
Understanding Transvaginal Mesh Usage
A vaginal or transvaginal mesh uses synthetic polypropylene plastic netting to provide extra support to damaged internal tissues in the pelvis. Usually, doctors use transvaginal mesh implants to help women deal with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). These conditions occur as the woman ages or after childbirth. Ideally, this was used as a last resort when other treatments for SUI and POP failed.
Since the late 1990s, this medical device has been used to treat countless patients. In Australia alone, 150,000 women had vaginal mesh implants. Similarly, 300,000 women underwent mesh implant surgery in America. Unfortunately, over time, women across the world experienced devastating health complications.
Due to the low-quality materials used, the mesh started to erode, shrink, and break down inside the body. As a result, some women developed complications like chronic pain and nerve damage. Others experienced extreme vaginal scarring, infections, and organ perforation.
Women also had irregular vaginal discharge, bleeding, neuro-muscular problems, and pus-filled sores. These life-limiting complications could only be treated with expensive and risky surgical intervention.
After receiving thousands of complaints, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified this vaginal mesh as a Class III device in 2016. That means it’s a high-risk medical product that can lead to common complications in patients. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that the FDA banned all sales and discontinued production of transvaginal mesh.
Fact: Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom banned transvaginal mesh manufacturing and usage back in 2017, which was well before America.
The American Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits: A Cry for Justice
American women affected by this device’s failure have filed a vaginal mesh lawsuit against the manufacturers. The defendants include companies like Boston Scientific Corporation, Neomedic, C.R. Bard, Ethicon, etc.
This lawsuit alleges that these defendants intentionally withheld information about mesh erosion and shrinkage. It also claims that the companies provided misleading information about the effectiveness and safety of these implants. Therefore, the plaintiffs hold them liable for damages like physical suffering, injuries, emotional damage, and financial burdens.
According to TorHoerman Law, almost 100,000 lawsuits have been filed by women or on behalf of victims injured due to vaginal mesh failure. Most of these lawsuits have been resolved, but women can still file claims for their injuries. That means personal injury lawyers will continue to investigate and take on transvaginal mesh cases on behalf of injured women.
Till 2023, the transvaginal mesh verdicts totaled a settlement of USD 8 billion to be paid by the negligent manufacturers. Plaintiffs are eligible to get reimbursed for damages like medical bills, emotional distress, the cost of future surgeries, etc. Based on the extent of their injuries, lawyers can negotiate individual settlement amounts between USD 150,000 and USD 400,000.
Real-Life Stories About Vaginal Mesh Failure: 4 Women’s Harrowing Experience
Reading real-life stories of women across the world who suffered from vaginal mesh failure can be heartbreaking. The realities of living with mesh complications prove the unfathomable pain women went through. Take a look at the unnerving stories of Kim, Justine, Yvette, and Billie.
1. Justine
For seven long years, Justine had suffered unexplained pelvic pain after getting a vaginal mesh implant for her SUI. When she discussed her recurrent pelvic pain with doctors, they stated that it was part of the recovery process. She was even asked to get a psychiatric assessment.
Eventually, her quality of life deteriorated, and she was hospitalized. That’s when the doctors found that her vaginal mesh had perforated her urethra and embedded in the bladder. She had to spend all of her life’s savings to undergo an 8-hour-long surgery to reduce the pain. Even after that, Justine still experienced other health complications.
2. Kim
Doctors implanted a vaginal mesh to help treat Kim’s POP. She was a former chef, and it was easy for her to stand for prolonged periods. However, after the surgery, she developed severe pelvic pain that restricted her from standing or performing regular tasks.
Soon, Kim experienced vaginal bleeding and excruciating pain. She had to undergo six revision surgeries to remove parts of the vaginal mesh. As a result, it caused financial burdens and restricted her lifestyle.
3. Billie
Billie was forced to get a vaginal mesh implant, even though she had minor symptoms of POP. Within two years, life was turned upside down for this U.S. Army veteran. She was an active woman, but the mesh complications got the best of her.
She had to undergo four surgeries to remove her damaged organs. Soon, she gained sixty pounds and had to pay thousands of dollars in medical bills. Today, Billie experiences constant pain and spends her days at home.
4. Yvette
Yvette had experienced abdominal discomfort and had minimal signs of POP. Even then, her general physician urged her to get a vaginal mesh implant to deal with her urination problem. After eight years, she started to experience chronic pain and bleeding.
She had to undergo another expensive surgery to remove the mesh. Due to this, her once adventurous life was plagued by bladder training and physiotherapy.
In summary, women should be extra careful when it comes to implantable medical devices. They should research the materials used before accepting an implant. Moreover, the real-life examples prove that the medical industry should provide better solutions and take women’s complaints seriously.
