California Woman Claims Serious Injuries from Vaginal Mesh

A California woman has brought a pelvic mesh lawsuit against device maker Mentor Worldwide, LLC, on the 20th of September, 2012. Her lawsuit was filed with the help of a personal injury lawyer in the United States’ District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, along with other cases that have been consolidated in the Mentor ObTape MDL. The plaintiff says that she was seriously injured by the Mentor ObTape Transobturator Sling, a vaginal mesh device intended to reinforce eroded or weakened muscles in the urethra.

Complications cited in lawsuit

The vaginal mesh device used by the plaintiff is used to treat stress urinary incontinence. The device, which was introduced in 2003, was discontinued by device manufacturer Mentor in March of 2006 after reports of post surgical complications started to come in. The plaintiff says that she was implanted with the device on February 27, 2006, in an effort to treat her stress urinary incontinence.

Stress urinary incontinence is caused by weakened pelvic muscles which can no longer adequately control the flow of urine. This can be caused by childbirth, menopause, or other issues. The plaintiff claims that after the surgery, she experienced multiple infections, abscesses, internal and external starring, and erosion of the mesh device. She claims that she will continue to experience mental and physical pain and suffering as a result of her use of the ObTape vaginal mesh device and will likely have to undergo additional surgeries to help correct some of the problems she has experienced. Her lawsuit claims that had she known about the risks associated with the device, she never would have agreed to use it.

Defendant failed to warn, suit claims

According to this plaintiff and many others who have chosen to take action by filing vaginal mesh lawsuits, the defendants knew the risks associated with the device and should have warned patients and physicians more thoroughly about the risks. The defendants were allegedly aware that their product could cause serious internal injuries, but were reluctant to recall the device.

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