Is My Hernia Mesh Patch Dangerous?

If you’ve undergone hernia repair surgery in the last ten years, there’s a good chance you may have had a mesh hernia patch inserted during your procedure. Hernia mesh is often used to cover the openings that cause ventral hernias in the abdominal wall. Most types of hernia mesh are made from a porous, flexible material that the body can naturally absorb. This lets the tissues heal over time and become stronger, reducing the chances of hernia recurrence.

In 2010, a hernia mesh manufacturer by the name of Ethicon placed a type of mesh on the market that does not allow the body’s tissues to naturally absorb the material. This mesh is called Physiomesh and it’s comprised of 2 layers—one that is porous and flexible and an outer layer that is not. The outer layer is hard and inflexible. Since the body’s tissues cannot absorb this outer layer, new tissues are forced to grow on the patch. This can cause dense, painful adhesions to develop.

When Ethicon pushed Physiomesh to market, they claimed that the hernia mesh was similar to other popular types of porous mesh that were already available. The FDA did not force the company to test the mesh on humans, so Physiomesh was pushed to market. In doing so, Ethicon also neglected to make public the fact that the product’s preclinical test results were not positive. In the study’s preliminary findings, dangerous adhesions were one common side effect of the mesh.

Now, years after surgeons have been using Physiomesh in surgical rooms across the country, patients are coming forward and reporting serious complications, side effects, and symptoms such as painful adhesions, mesh migration, hernia recurrence, infection, bowel obstruction, and more. It’s estimated that over 50% of the patients with a Physiomesh mesh patch have experienced these symptoms. Most must undergo additional surgeries to remove the mesh.

Here at Urban & Taylor, we feel that Ethicon had an obligation to share the company’s preclinical test results with the public and be honest regarding the massive differences between the Physiomesh hernia patch and standard hernia patches. Physiomesh is no longer on the market and has been recalled, but for hundreds of patients who have or will experience painful complications and must undergo a second surgery, that recall came far too late.

If you’re a Wisconsin resident who has undergone hernia mesh surgery since 2010 and feel you may have had the Physiomesh patch inserted, you should seek medical attention immediately as well as contact a Wisconsin Physiomesh hernia mesh lawyer. Doing so may enable your family to receive financial compensation that can go towards surgery costs, recovery costs, loss of wage costs, and more.

In addition, filing a Physiomesh hernia mesh lawsuit against Ethicon helps us let the company know that it isn’t acceptable for any type of corporation to prioritize profit margins over the safety and health of U.S. citizens. We deserve better. Civil lawsuits help us send this message. Contact our Milwaukee law office to learn more.