New York Transvaginal Mesh Lawyers

Help When You Need It the Most

If you are in need of New York Transvaginal Mesh lawyers, contact the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm today. We can help if you have questions about Surgical Mesh, Pelvic Mesh, or Transvaginal Mesh Injuries Arising From Pelvic Organ Prolapse or Stress Urinary Incontinence Surgeries.

If you have had surgical or transvaginal mesh implanted during Pelvic Organ Prolapse or Stress Urinary Incontinence-related surgeries and have experienced injuries or acute symptoms, you may have recourse.

You can contact the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm, transvaginal mesh attorneys, for a free consultation at any time, and we will be there to listen, to investigate your claims, and to advocate for your rights should a case be filed. Please do not hesitate to contact us today at (212) 869-3500. We are experienced lawyers who have handled a wide variety of cases against doctors, hospitals, and drug and medical device manufacturers.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic Organ Prolapse, or POP, is a very common condition in women. Very often it occurs after childbirth or as a woman ages. Being overweight or having a smokers’ cough can also increase the chances that POP will occur.  When a woman experiences POP, her pelvic floor has weakened, and her pelvic organs such as the uterus, rectum, and bladder, drop down into the vagina.

POP causes discomfort and a whole range of symptoms such as:

• Lower Back Pain
• Difficulty Urinating Or Urinary Incontinence
• Painful Intercourse
• Constipation, And Other Bowel Troubles

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress Urinary Incontinence, like Pelvic Organ Prolapse, occurs when the pelvic floor becomes weakened. In SUI, bladder control becomes very difficult, if not impossible. In many women, and some men, ordinary activities like walking, running, coughing, lifting, or even laughing, may cause an accidental leakage of urine. Leakage occurs frequently and without warning, and so SUI is embarrassing, and can interfere with a person’s day-to-day activities, and may even lead to emotional difficulties.

Use of Transvaginal Mesh by Doctors to Treat POP and SUI

For many years, doctors used net-like surgical mesh, or transvaginal mesh, to treat both POP and SUI. Through a transvaginal procedure, doctors could use this mesh to repair pelvic floors, thereby holding back internal organs from entering the vaginal area. In SUI, doctors sometimes used mesh to form a “bladder sling,” which would allow the bladder to function more normally.

Transvaginal mesh is often made of polypropylene, a plastic material. It can also be made from the tissue of animals such as pigs or cows. Some forms of mesh are absorbed by the body and other forms of mesh act like implants and remain intact in the body to prevent prolapse.

Transvaginal Mesh Manufacturers

Surgical mesh or transvaginal mesh was produced by a number of companies including:

• Johnson & Johnson
• Boston Scientific
• C.R. Bard
• Coloplast

This mesh has been produced for decades and has been used in thousands of women seeking treatment for POP and SUI. But cases involving the serious damages that the mesh has caused have been becoming more prevalent.

Complications Caused by Transvaginal Mesh

Many women who have undergone surgeries for Pelvic Organ Prolapse or Stress Urinary Incontinence who have had vaginal mesh implants have suffered severe complications and injuries. Thousands of women have suffered from mesh erosion, which can cause tremendous difficulties.

In some cases, their injuries included:

• Recurrence of POP or SUI
• Lasting Infections
• Urinary Issues
• Episodes Of Bleeding
• Pain And Painful Sex
• Scar Tissue Formation
• Organ Perforation

All of these complications can be uncomfortable and many of these complications can be life-threatening. In all cases of such complications, women should seek medical treatment and professional advice as soon as possible.

US Food and Drug Administration Involvement in Transvaginal Mesh Regulation

Although surgical mesh has been on the market for over 50 years, the Food and Drug Administration in recent years has been quite active in its regulation of surgical and transvaginal mesh manufacturers. The FDA has put a lot of restrictions on them, including the requirement to prove the safety and efficacy of the mesh.

In 2008 and 2011, the FDA issued warnings to doctors and patients about the increasing number of complaints of complications arising from the use of transvaginal mesh. Also in 2011, the FDA put together an advisory panel to look more fully into the use of mesh, and in 2012, the FDA ordered manufacturers to answer to safety and efficacy concerns. Ultimately, in 2016, the FDA reclassified the devices for POP, making them considered more high risk, and also put on additional requirements for manufacturers.

“Manufacturers of the mesh, however, failed to demonstrate its safety and necessity and so the FDA has taken direct action to stop the use of the mesh for POP surgeries.”
– Alan Fuchsberg, Medical Malpratice Attorney

On April 16, 2019, the FDA issued a sweeping order mandating that:

“The manufacturers of all remaining surgical mesh products indicated for the transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) to stop selling and distributing their products in the U.S. immediately.” – The Food and Drug Administration

Thus, mesh is no longer available as a treatment for POP. The FDA’s action against the use of mesh underscores how many women suffered from complications from its use, and how dangerous the product really is.

Transvaginal Mesh and Surgical Mesh Lawsuits

There have been over 100,000 lawsuits filed concerning transvaginal and surgical mesh complications. Plaintiffs have alleged that the transvaginal/pelvic mesh caused significant injuries and pain. Some plaintiffs reported bleeding and infections, and some had organs punctured as a result of the mesh.

Many of the lawsuits have resulted in substantial verdicts and settlements, including a $120 million and an $80 million verdict issued by courts in Philadelphia.

Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit Updates

On June 28, 2019, a plaintiff was awarded a $500,000 verdict against Johnson & Johnson, whose subsidiary Ethicon, manufactured Prolift, a surgical mesh for POP. The case found that the product suffered from the manufacture and design defects.

In May of 2019, the same defendants were ordered to pay a plaintiff in a Philadelphia lawsuit $80 million. The plaintiff claimed that the erosion of her mesh caused infections and a great deal of pain. The court found that the company did not properly disclose the risks involved with using the mesh in such surgeries.

According to Fierce Biotech, “the case comes on the heels of a single $120 million verdict issued against Ethicon last month, also in a Philadelphia court, related to a woman who received a mesh implant to treat urinary incontinence.”

On April 22, 2019, the Associated Press reported that Johnson & Johnson settled a case for $9.9 million which was brought by the Attorney General of Washington State against J&J and its subsidiary Ethicon. The case alleged that they failed to tell patients and doctors about the risks and complications associated with the mesh.

What to Do If You Have Transvaginal Mesh Implanted?

It is important to make sure that you are seen by your doctor on a regular basis to ensure that your mesh has not become infected or causing any other problems. If you are experiencing pain, bleeding, infections, painful intercourse, resumption of POP or SUI symptoms, or any other unusual symptoms, you must go to your doctor immediately.

Your doctor is the best person to determine whether the mesh is causing difficulties and can recommend the best course of medical action for you to follow.

“Because of the nature of these complaints, it is very useful to keep careful notes of the dates of your surgery, the pain, and nature of the complications that you are suffering, and the dates on which they began. This is good information to give to a doctor treating you, and also for our firm that you may consult about your complications.”
– Alan Fuchsberg, New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer

The more detailed that you can be, the easier to understand the connection between the surgery and the implant and the pain and suffering that you may be experiencing.

Transvaginal Mesh Lawyers Free Consultation

If you have gone through surgery to repair your POP or SUI, and you are suffering from pain, bleeding, infections, punctured organs, or any other complications, and need the services of a transvaginal mesh lawyer, please contact the Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm today for a free consultation. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (212) 869-3500.

Our Commitment:

“We will listen to your medical history, investigate your claims, and pursue a claim on your behalf if warranted. We are here to help, to listen, and to advise. We are known for our compassionate treatment of injured victims, and will always give you the dignity and respect that you deserve. When we take on a case, we work diligently to take the case from inception to conclusion so that you may obtain the results that you deserve.”
– Alan Fuchsberg, New York Medical Malpractice Lawyer