People in California who sought treatment for a hernia may have wound up suffering serious damage as a result of the mesh products used to repair the injury. While hernia meshes have been used for over 60 years in these procedures, some of the options and materials developed over time have caused even more severe injuries due to product defects. Some of the materials that were used to create hernia mesh products had not been fully tested before being used in patients’ surgical procedures. In many cases, patients have required additional surgery to treat the original hernia and additional damage.
Some of the defective meshes have included products produced by Covidien, Bard, Ethicon and Atrium. Many of them cause severe pain, but they can also lead to more severe problems, such as adhesions and bowel obstruction due to the mesh. When an adhesion form, scar-like tissue sticks together, leading to serious pain as well as other problems depending on the location of the adhesion. In addition, hernia mesh also poses a risk of rejection, infection or migration of the mesh to another area of the body.
Intestinal concerns are some of the most serious side effects. In one case, a hernia mesh product had to be removed less than two weeks after the original surgery after it had attached to a man’s small intestine. Other people may first learn of their defective hernia mesh because they become unable to produce a bowel movement or even pass gas. Bowel obstructions of this nature are life-threatening and require emergency treatment.
Hernia mesh procedures can cause serious pain and potentially fatal medical conditions when defective products are used. People who have suffered worsened health due to a mesh product can consult with a personal injury lawyer about their options for pursuing compensation for their damages.
