A hernia repair requires two important things: a good doctor and trusty mesh products. These requirements are basic things and hernia repairs are incredibly common. However, it appears that things don’t always go as they are supposed to, and numerous lawsuits have been filed after faulty mesh products led to reoperations.
For those who do not know, hernia occurs when an organ or a tissue exists abnormally through a hole in the muscle or tissue around it.
A hernia repair is not a complicated procedure and more than one million are performed every year in the United States. Inguinal hernias are the most common, and they occur in the inner groin. Thanks to laparoscopic methods, patients can recover a lot faster and there is less pain.
Faulty mesh products
An increasing number of patients have come forward and accused the Ethicon company of creating defective mesh products. There have been numerous persons who reported reoperations, serious injuries and even deaths as a consequence of the Physiomesh product.
Back in May 2016, an “Urgent Field Safety Notice” was issued by Johnson & Johnson after it was noticed that laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs that used the Ethicon Physiomesh Composite Mesh have recurrence/ reoperations rates that were unusually high.
The negative impact of the Ethicon Physiomesh Composite Mesh was identified thanks to two outcome tools that were application-oriented. These tools tracked the surgical outcomes from the entire nation and this became possible after The Danish Inguinal Hernia Database and the Herniamed German Registry allowed it. The worst part is that this product has been a global leader on the market ever since it appeared in 2010. In 2016 it was recalled, but it was already too late for many patients.
Legal action
After these reports became public, numerous other cases were discovered. As a consequence of that, many persons filed a physiomesh lawsuit. Lawsuits have been filed in many states and the number continues to grow.
Physiomesh is accused of creating numerous complications such as infection, pain, mesh migration, mesh contraction, perforation of the other tissues and organs or fluid build-up at the surgical site. Additionally, there has been bleeding, blockage of the small or large intestine and even fistula, the abnormal connection between intestines, vessels or organs.
Ethicon already recalled numerous Physiomesh products, but if you have already been harmed by this product, it is recommended to report all your complications to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Make sure that you talk to your physician about this issue and see what you should do next since it differs from case to case.
Here is a list with all the recalled Ethicon Physiomesh products: ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh Rectangle 7.5cm x 15cm; ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Oval 10cm x 15cm; ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Square 15cm x 15cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Rectangle 15cm x 20cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH ™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Oval 15cm x 20 cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Oval 20cm x 25cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Rectangle 20cm x 30cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Oval 25cm x 35cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Rectangle 30cm x 35cm, ETHICON PHYSIOMESH™ Flexible Composite Mesh, Rectangle 30cm x 50cm.
Nevertheless, the Ethicon Physiomesh Open Flexible Composite Mesh Device is still available on the market and it continues to represent a risk for all the patients that went through a hernia repair. It is normal to have some doubts when it comes to this product since all the previous ones have been faulty and ineffective.
