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Two Bay Area women, Kerry Hanchai and Rita Morrison, both who had been implanted with transvaginal meshes want to have them banned because of the “nightmares” that their lives have become afterward
According to the FDA, thousands of women have reported having complications due to infections, chronic pain, and painful sexual intercourse. Even though it’s been used for hernia repair as far back as the 1950’s, and the FDA cleared the mesh for use in repairs of weakened muscles in the pelvic region in 2002, the federal agency will now require manufacturers who want to continue selling mesh for prolapse to submit new data showing the mesh is safe and effective
For Hanchai and Morrison, both indicate that their procedure would be simple, minimally invasive and wouldn’t require a lengthy stay in the hospital. Both women indicate that within months of their surgery that they were suffering infections and debilitating pain.
“It’s a nightmare, I had it put in in 2012, and since then I’ve had 5 to 6 UTIs (urinary tract infections) a year,” Hanchai said.
Morrison indicated that after the procedure she had to use numbing medicine constantly, “I literally sat in the bathtub all night long sometimes because it was so painful.”
Another Bay Area resident, Ronda Rayburn, also had the mesh implanted for organ prolapse. Rayburn indicated that the mesh caused more pain and more problems than her original condition had. All three women said in an interview with NBC Bay Area that the complications and risks surrounding the mesh were never explained to them prior to their procedures. All three want to see the FDA ban transvaginal mesh and have it immediately removed from the market.
Millions of women have had procedures involving transvaginal or urogynecological mesh. There have been thousands of complaints to the FDA regarding serious health concerns including infections, pain, urinary tract problems and painful intercourse as well as a recurrence of prolapse and incontinence. Other women have reported having experienced vaginal scarring and mesh erosion to the FDA which has resulted in a significant decrease in their quality of life.
The manufacturers of transvaginal mesh include Johnson & Johnson, Bard, and Boston Scientific, all of which have defended their products in court. The companies all assert that their devices have been rigorously tested and proven to help women repair prolapse and that the FDA approved the medical devices and so far has not requested that the products be pulled from the market.
So far, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 women have now filed lawsuits that have been filed against the manufacturers of transvaginal meshes. According to current FDA guidelines, the mesh will remain on the market for another three years (2019) but is listed as a high-risk medical device in the repair of prolapse.
Any woman who has experienced symptoms in connection with the mesh is encouraged by the FDA to report their complaint direct to MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting program online, or by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088.
If you or someone you love has suffered as the result of transvaginal or pelvic mesh, contact John Foy & Associates. We are here to help you receive potential compensation for your pain and suffering.
We are the “Strong Arm” Attorney in Atlanta and we are committed to helping our clients receive justice. Contact us today.
