Women Gather at Canadian Hospital to Protest Transvaginal Mesh
At the Saskatoon City Hospital on Saturday, May 11th, a group of women gathered to protest transvaginal mesh implants.
Transvaginal mesh – originally approved in the US by the FDA as early as 1996 – was designed to help treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Although both men and women can suffer organ prolapse, women more commonly suffer from uterine and bladder prolapse as part of the aging process. Transvaginal mesh implants were designed as an easy way to help prevent organ prolapse – the surgery was touted by many medical device manufacturers and surgeons as quick and painless, with a short recovery time.
However, many women all over the world who have had transvaginal mesh implants report that, instead of relief, they now suffer crippling pain, infection, and continued organ prolapse. The mesh implants, they say, were not designed properly and, as prolapse continues, their organs perforate around the mesh, further destroying tissue and causing serious complications.
In 2010, Health Canada warned hospitals about side effects. Throughout the world, women are taking personal injury cases to court against transvaginal mesh manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon, American Medical Devices, and Coloplast. Many of these women have sought out surgeons who can remove their transvaginal mesh devices, although few have met with success, even after paying tens of thousands of dollars and undergoing multiple surgeries to have the devices removed.
Despite these multidistrict litigations, Saturday’s protesters believe that not enough is being done to address transvaginal mesh sufferers’ concerns and health problems.
“Two weeks after my surgery, I had excruciating pain. I felt like I had a vice grip on my pelvis with razor blades in it. I couldn’t sit,” said Marika English of Prince Albert. English traveled to California and paid $30,000 to have her mesh removed.
“I have to fight for other women so they don’t have to go through what I did,” she said. “It wrecks marriages, it wrecks lives. Truly it does.”
Stephanie Brad, also at the protest, said that she will be following English’s example, traveling to the United States to pay $30,000 to have her mesh removed. “I don’t do very much with my kids because I can’t walk,” Brad said. “I can’t sit or skate or bike or any of the things a mom should be able to do with her kids.”
“There was something that was grabbing, a cutting feeling,” said Rosemary Maximovich of Elfros.
“When I went for my six-week checkup, there was a piece of mesh that had eroded already.
“It’s hell. I haven’t worked since the first surgery. I can’t vacuum. It will take me half an hour some days to sweep my little kitchen. I can’t lift my grandchild.
“I say no more mesh surgeries. Come up with something else.”
“You don’t need to have this mesh put in your body,” English said. “Doctors can repair you the way they used to do with your own tissue.”
“The problem is they’re choosing not to,” she continued. “This is quick, this is easy, but there [are] a lot of side effects.”
Transvaginal Mesh Personal Injury Lawsuits Already Underway in the US
In March, plaintiff Linda Gross was awarded over $7 million for her pain, suffering, and medical bills related to transvaginal mesh surgery in 2006. Other personal injury cases in several multidistrict litigations (MDLs) are underway as well.
In the United States, there are 6 total MDLs against various transvaginal mesh manufacturers. These include:
· CR Bard, MDL 2187
· Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon, MDL 2327
· American Medical Systems, MDL 2325
· Boston Scientific, MDL 2326
· and Coloplast, MDL 2387
Check out the Strom Law Firm’s new website, TheInjuryAttorney.info for the latest news.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Transvaginal Mesh Personal Injury Cases
If you or a loved one has pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence, have had a mesh device implanted, and have since experienced detrimental complications, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced lawyers at Strom Law, LLC can help. We offer free consultations, so please contact us today, and we can help get you on the road to recovery.803.252.4800.
