Symptoms of hernia mesh rejection include severe pain, swelling, flu-like symptoms, nausea, and vomiting. You may also experience redness, stiffness, or tenderness around the mesh implant or throughout your body.
A common medical implant, hernia mesh is used to strengthen or close a hernia. A hernia is an internal opening created when undue stress has been placed on the body and an organ or fatty tissue pushes through the soft tissue known as fascia. These hernia injuries most commonly happen in the abdomen or groin and can be quite painful or, at the very least, uncomfortable. Hernias can be the result of lifting, sneezing, coughing, or otherwise straining the body, placing pressure on the internal walls of the abdomen and groin.
Continue reading to learn more about the reasons why the body can reject hernia mesh.
Common Hernia Mesh Devices
Hernia mesh devices are often referred to as implants. There are two different types of popular mesh used in hernia surgery:
Synthetic Mesh Material
Synthetic mesh can either be absorbable or non-absorbable. This simply describes whether or not the synthetic material will degrade inside the body over time. If the mesh is non-absorbable, it is meant to be a more permanent solution to a hernia. With absorbable mesh, it is supposed to encourage the growth of stronger scar tissue to protect from the recurrence of the hernia.
Animal-Derived Mesh
More common of the two, animal-derived hernia mesh is an absorbable mesh material from a cow or pig. The material has been processed and disinfected to make an appropriate tool for medical procedures.
No surgery is completely risk-free. This applies to hernia surgery and hernia mesh devices. However, a hernia patient does put a level of trust into the hands of the doctor and the medical equipment manufacturer when undergoing surgery.
It is unfortunate when complications begin to arise because of defective products such as hernia mesh.
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Complications From Rejected Hernia Mesh
There have been many occurrences of complications derived from these defective hernia mesh products. Commonly, these complications are:
- Inflammation: abnormal heat and redness on or in the vicinity of the surgical site
- Severe pain: the body rejecting the mesh could cause extreme discomfort
- Sepsis: a result of “blood poisoning” from bacteria being present in the bloodstream
- Adhesions: internal organs can bind to the hernia mesh
- Migration: the mesh breaks loose and travels to other parts of the abdominal cavity
- Perforation: a hole in the lining of an internal organ
- Recurrence: the re-opening of the hernia injury
- Seroma: a pocket of clear fluid that develops around the hernia site
The complications and symptoms of hernia mesh rejection range greatly in type and intensity. Some patients have also reported the development of fistulas or obstruction in the small or large intestines as a result of hernia mesh.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is aware of many complications and symptoms that have been caused by defective hernia mesh and has released a list of recalled hernia mesh medical devices. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after hernia surgery, you are urged to contact your doctor to prevent long-lasting side effects.
Hernia Mesh Recalls
Since 2005, there have been 211,000 hernia mesh devices recalled. The companies who manufactured many of the defective products are:
- Atrium Medical, which recalled hernia mesh for improper packing techniques
- Bard Devol, which announced two separate recalls for the risk of the ring breaking and causing bowel perforation or fistula
- Ethicon, which had three separate recalls for packaging defects, high failure risk, and the potential to lose the laminate coating on the mesh
Unfortunately, many of these defective products were used in hernia surgeries and did cause complications in their patients.
The FDA is aware of many issues and offers a free resource to learn more about the recalls.
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Common Damages Recovered for Hernia Mesh Victims
Millions of dollars have already been paid out to the victims of defective hernia mesh products. The common damages recovered are:
Economic Damages
Economic damages are a calculated monetary value based on medical expenses and lost wages as a result of the sickness or injury from the defective mesh. Any monetary loss related to the medical condition may be recoverable.
Noneconomic Damages
Physical pain and emotional suffering are examples of noneconomic damages. Usually, a sum of money is awarded by a jury who will evaluate the extent of your injuries and loss due to experiencing symptoms of hernia mesh rejection.
If you have suffered from the complications and symptoms of hernia mesh implants, you may be able to pursue legal action and recover your losses. The dedicated attorneys at Berger and Green are ready to assist you through the process with a free, no-risk consultation. Call today at (412) 661-1400.
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