These days, surgical mesh implants are being used more and more in hernia repairs. Not all of the products are safe, however, and a number of them have been recalled after hernia patients complained of a number of symptoms, some of them severe, like internal bleeding. If you are experiencing problems, you should learn the mesh implant laws.
Where surgical implants have been used to repair a hernia problem and the implant proves to be a serious health risk and must be removed, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against either the mesh implant manufacturer or the medical personnel who inserted the mesh.
The role of hernia mesh implants
If hernia mesh implants are such a problem, why are they used at all? That’s a good question. In fact, in most cases, the right hernia mesh implants can make a lot of difference to the person with a hernia. However, there is a certain amount of discussion in medical circles about whether hernia mesh implants are used too much and whether other surgical procedures can be used instead, especially with smaller hernia intrusions. Also, there is disquiet about some of the products on offer and that disquiet has grown as the number of complaints has risen and the number of lawsuits have followed suit.
Hernias are very uncomfortable protrusions of part of an internal organ through the abdominal muscle or connective tissue. Every hernia is different, and there are no hard and fast rules about what causes them, although vigorous exercise, awkward posture, heavy lifting, and genetics all play a part.
Sometimes, a hernia patient will be monitored by a doctor for some time before surgery is advised. The doctor will watch to see that the hernia doesn’t get any worse. Generally, hernias will need an operation to repair them. They don’t normally repair by themselves.
Hernia repairs depend on the extent and severity of the hernia and the gap through which part of the internal organ protrudes. With small hernias, the hole in the abdominal wall may be stitched up using laparoscopic surgery which is less invasive and usually doesn’t involve using mesh.
Larger hernias may need open surgery when an incision is made and the hole or gap-sealed more permanently. By 2000, 90% of inguinal (inner groin) hernia surgical procedures used hernia implant mesh to strengthen the repair.
What can go wrong?
Mesh implants are of two main types: a temporary implant made of animal tissue and a more permanent implant made of synthetic materials. The temporary implant is absorbed gradually by the body and is meant to provide support until the body replaces missing tissue. The artificial implants include implants that have since been recalled because of the side effects they have caused. Often these implants have shifted position and instead of lying flat against the abdomen’s inner wall, they may roll up. This means that the ends of the roll press against sensitive body parts and can cause pain, infection, intestinal blockage, and internal bleeding.
While there is no guarantee that any surgery on hernia ruptures is going to not have repercussions, it does seem that implants may have been used at times when their role was unnecessary. It also seems that for small repairs, there may be fewer complications if the repair is completed with sutures rather than with extra mesh.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does say that most of the problems reported that involve mesh complaints have been with implants that have been recalled already. Attorneys who have represented patients in mesh implant lawsuits say that there may be still many hernia patients who still have recalled mesh implants in their abdomens as a result of hernia surgery but may not realize that there could be potential repercussions or even that the implant is there.
Legal action possible with a Jackson Mississippi personal injury attorney
If you are having any pain or experience symptoms that may be due to a hernia mesh implant failure you should seek medical attention straight away. Medical records from your previous surgery should indicate whether the mesh implant you received has been since recalled. Even if it hasn’t if the mesh implant has caused serious pain or other problems you should contact the Diaz Law Office in Jackson Mississippi to discuss your legal options at 601-607-3456.