Types and Uses

Transvaginal mesh is a type of surgical mesh that is used to treat two conditions that are common among women. Unfortunately, transvaginal mesh- or TVM for short- is a medical device that turned out to have many unintended and dangerous consequences. Thousands of women who were treated with procedures involving the use of transvaginal mesh have begun to experience serious complications and are now suing the manufacturers of the mesh products.

If you or a loved one was injured as a result of transvaginal mesh, it is important that you understand what rights the law affords you. You do not have to bear the economic or non-economic costs of your losses alone and an experienced Massachusetts transvaginal mesh lawyer at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyer can help you to obtain the compensation that you deserve.

Transvaginal mesh products are used to treat two different conditions. These conditions include:

• Stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Stress urinary incontinence develops as a result of the weakening of the muscles of the urethra or a weakening of the muscles of the bladder. A woman suffering from stress urinary incontinence will have difficulty controlling the flow of urine. Symptoms include urinating involuntarily when doing something physical like laughing, coughing or sneezing.
• Pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Pelvic organ prolapse develops when the muscles in the pelvic area weaken and the organs are no longer held in their proper place. The small bowel, the uterus, the urethra, the bladder and other pelvic organs can start to drop and can begin to protrude into the vagina as a result of muscle weakening.

Both pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence typically occur in older women. Aging, child birth and having a hysterectomy can all contribute to a woman’s chances of developing SUI or POP.

There are a variety of different types of transvaginal mesh products sold on the marketplace by more than 31 different manufacturers. Some of the different types of mesh products include:

• Biologic synthetic mesh. This type of mesh is normally derived from bovine or from porcine sources and consists of acellular collagen.
• Non-absorbable synthetic mesh. This type of transvaginal mesh product is typically made from polyester or polypropylene.
• Absorbable synthetic mesh. Typically, this type of transvaginal mesh product is made from polylacticcoglycoloic or polycaprolactone.

Composite mesh products are also available as well. These are made using a combination of any of the three materials. Manufacturers including Ethicon and Mentor Corporation (both affiliated with Johnson & Johnson); CR Bard; Endo Pharmaceuticals and Boston Scientific, among others, each make their own different types of mesh products.

No matter the material, transvaginal mesh products- or bladder slings as they are sometimes called- can be dangerous devices. Unfortunately, the fine mesh products are subject to erosion and can extrude out of their location. The mesh products can cause pain including discomfort during sex; and may not even work as prolapse may reoccur.

When complications arise as they do for thousands of women, the transvaginal mesh will have to be removed. Regardless of the specific type of transvaginal mesh material, the fine mesh will likely have fused with tissue in the body and removal will become a very expensive and painful process that normally involves multiple surgical procedures.

If you or a loved one has had any type of transvaginal mesh product used as a method of treating pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence, then you may be at risk of serious side effects. If you have developed these side effects and have undergone revision surgery or need to have surgery performed, then you may also find yourself facing huge medical bills.

You should not have to bear the financial cost of correcting health problems caused by the defective transvaginal mesh and you should also not be left uncompensated for the pain and other non-economic losses you endured. At Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyer, our experienced Boston transvaginal mesh lawyers will work to ensure that you are fairly and fully compensated for your losses.

To schedule your free consultation and learn more about how we can help you, get in touch with us today at (617) 777-7777 or contact us online.