For many years, patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) have benefited from transvaginal mesh, also called pelvic mesh or a bladder sling. Unfortunately, a disproportionately high percentage of patients have reported serious and painful surgical mesh complications after the implantation of the medical device( most have contacted a transvaginal mesh attorney to help in their case of mesh bladder sling removal).
Recent accusations in the transvaginal mesh case have claimed that the manufacturers failed to run safety reviews and effectiveness thoroughly and that the device was built with inherent defects.
Our legal team assists women undergoing surgery on this harmful medical equipment in seeking compensation for their injuries, losses, and suffering. Don’t hesitate to contact our attorneys to arrange a free consultation if you or a loved one has had complications due to transvaginal mesh placement.
Can a mesh bladder sling be removed?
When women with pelvic organ prolapse and stress incontinence have severe symptoms that aren’t alleviated by changing their lives or using devices meant to support the prolapsed organs, they may choose to undergo pelvic reconstructive surgery.
Transvaginal mesh implantation is one of many surgical options for treating pelvic floor problems. Chronic discomfort, infection, bleeding, vaginal mesh erosion, pain during sexual activity, urinary issues, and mesh exposure are only some of the serious complications of the mesh sling.
Surgeons doing transvaginal mesh removal strive to remove as much synthetic mesh as possible, making for a technically complicated treatment.
Some women can have all of their transvaginal mesh removed others have to settle for having just a portion removed owing to complications associated with the kind of mesh sling initially used.
How long is recovery for bladder mesh removal?
Depending on the nature of the surgery, your recovery time may vary. After removing the mesh from the bladder, patients typically need between four and six weeks for the incision to heal and the sutures to disintegrate.
Returning to normal might take a long time after a major surgical procedure requiring a general anesthetic and an extended hospital stay.
What to expect after bladder sling removal?
You may feel discomfort from your incisions for up to eight weeks; over-the-counter pain relievers like paracetamol and ibuprofen may assist. There’s a chance you’ll go home with a catheter in your bladder.
Avoid heavy lifting and other intense activities for the first several weeks. For instance, don’t carry more than you can comfortably carry with one hand. You may resume your routine after four weeks if you feel up to it.
At least six weeks should pass between your first exercise attempt and beginning more intense activities like jogging, gym workouts, or a highly physical profession. Please wait at least six weeks before engaging in vaginal sex.
If you’re having trouble controlling your bladder after surgery, your doctor may recommend pelvic floor physiotherapy exercises.
Your doctor may suggest seeing a professional psychologist to help you cope with the stress of mesh issues and get back on your feet following surgery.
After surgery, it is common to feel some discomfort. The point of taking painkillers is to feel well enough to get up, shower, dress, and go about your daily routine.
Unless your doctor prescribes otherwise, paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most effective pain relievers. Opioid medications, including codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone, may be prescribed to you.
If the pain persists after taking ibuprofen and paracetamol, this may be taken in addition. Most people who take opioids experience constipation, so your doctor may also prescribe a laxative before surgery if you’ve been taking strong painkillers for a while. If you’ve been taking strong painkillers for a while, you may be referred to a pain specialist before surgery to help you plan your pain relief after the operation.
Bleeding may occur during surgery to remove a retropubic mesh sling. There might be significant bruising as a result.
Some vaginal spotting of pink or red blood after removing the mesh sling is typical and may remain for up to eight weeks if an incision is made in the vagina. It is also usual for brown discharge to become a lighter shade of yellow or cream over four to eight weeks. The brownish discharge is old blood, which has a pungent odor.
What is the nightmare of mesh removal?
For many women, mesh removal becomes a nightmare when something goes wrong, and they aren’t given the resources to recuperate or cope.
Since these implants are meant to last a lifetime, mesh removal surgery isn’t always an option. Sometimes the only option is pain management since nothing else can be done.
Personal injury claims, however, may provide victims with the resources they need after accidents.
Transvaginal Mesh Revision Surgeries
When used to treat pelvic organ prolapse or female stress urinary incontinence, transvaginal placement is intended to be a long-term solution. However, mesh implants have several potential side effects. Many people need numerous vaginal mesh procedures to remove the exposed mesh entirely, and the first operation is often quite invasive.
Transvaginal mesh implants may need to be removed or fixed through revision surgery. Manufacturers intended these medical implants to be permanent, making complete mesh removal operations difficult and often unpleasant.
Transvaginal Mesh: What Women Should Know (Legal Information)
On behalf of women who have experienced or will experience pain, infection, mesh erosion, stress incontinence, or other urinary problems due to defects in these mesh products, plaintiffs’ lawyers across the country have filed lawsuits against surgical mesh manufacturers.
C.R. Bard and Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, have been targeted in most vaginal mesh claims.
Thousands of physicians have used bladder slings manufactured by Bard and Ethicon to treat stress urinary incontinence because of the companies’ marketing that they are safe and effective. Indeed, there were reports of successful surgical treatment of SUI. Vaginal mesh extrusions, infections, and other negative side effects occurred in far too many women.
Without undergoing rigorous clinical testing, manufacturers of bladder slings could get FDA approval for their goods under the Section 510(k) exemption because their vaginal mesh implants were “substantially equivalent” to those already on the market.
The FDA first voiced concerns about the safety of vaginal mesh slings in October 2008, then again in February 2009. Lawyers for the plaintiffs maintain that the Gynecare Prolift and Bard Avaulta vaginal mesh products, at the absolute least, should have been recalled by now. In 2012, the FDA took a step further, requiring vaginal mesh manufacturers Ethicon and C.R. Bard to do safety studies.
