Transvaginal mesh (TVM) has been in the news a lot lately since a CR Bard pelvic mesh trial started on March 19, 2018. If you or a loved one had a pelvic mesh implant to help manage stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or pelvic organ prolapse (POP), this is an important case to watch. Tens of thousands of women have had complications with their TVM implants and this case will dictate how pending Bard cases will be settled along with potentially strengthening the argument that TVM should be banned in the U.S.
The first Bard case to go to trial occurred in October 2014 and 500 cases were settled. Bard was forced to pay over $21 million to those who were injured by their dangerous pelvic mesh. But Bard isn’t the only mesh manufacturer going to court. There have been approximately 30 pelvic mesh cases that went to trial in state and federal courts since the first trial in 2012 involving Ethicon’s Prolift vaginal mesh. There are about 160 cases currently pending involving Bard and their results are dependent on the outcome of this upcoming case. While it is difficult to estimate how long these types of cases could take, we are dedicated to keeping you posted concerning the results.
In this current trial, Mary McGinnis is suing C.R. Bard Inc. because in March 2009, she had Bard’s “Avaulta” and “Align” transvaginal mesh implants inserted into her vaginal area to relieve bladder prolapse and stress incontinence. Soon after her surgery, her mesh eroded and caused scar tissue to form. She now suffers from painful sexual intercourse, a loss of bladder function, and chronic pain due to complications involving her mesh implants. McGinnis has endured three additional surgeries to try to remove the faulty mesh and resolve her complications with minimal results. She claims that Bard was aware that the chemicals in the mesh could adversely react with vaginal tissue, however, they failed to properly warn doctors and patients of the potential risks involved.
Does this sound familiar? Did you have POP or SUI and were led to believe that TVM could help solve these stressful and embarrassing issues? Many mesh manufacturers, including Bard, marketed their products as “safe,” trusted”, “[with] unsurpassed stability” and involves “a minimally invasive surgical procedure.” Many of these companies failed to warn patients of the very real complications that could occur due to the mesh eroding, breaking apart and slicing nearby organs and tissue. Nor were patients told that the mesh could lodge in the vagina making sex painful or that they may not be able to have sex at all. Women were rarely (if at all) told that mesh removal is difficult if not impossible since tissue grows in and around the implant.
If you are suffering from a TVM implant, join Mary McGinnis and the hundreds of thousands of other women who are taking a stand to fight against the makers of pelvic mesh. You were led to believe that this medical device was safe, and now you are suffering. Call Periscope Group today to see if we can help you with your situation.
