Transvaginal mesh is a synthetic woven fabric implanted through the vagina to treat common pelvic floor conditions that 30 to 50 percent of all women experience.

    Pelvic mesh products are fairly common, and many have benefited from these implants. Pelvic mesh is often used to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). However, these devices have been linked with serious and even permanently damaging complications.

    Any surgical mesh used to repair pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence can erode, fail to cure the problem, or need repair.

    The use of surgical mesh as a treatment in the vaginal and pelvic area has never been adequately tested to ensure it is effective and safe. 

    In the Linda Dunfee trial, it was emphasized to the jury that the Prolift kit, including the tunnelers and cannulas, was never tested on a live person, only on cadavers and animals. As the Plaintiff’s attorney stated in that case, dead people can’t feel pain.

     Ongoing severe symptoms and complications include:

•the mesh eroding or sawing through the bladder, bowel or vagina,

•recurring infections, including urinary tract infections (“UTI”),

•pain during intercourse (“dyspareunia”)

•vaginal scarring, or erosion of vaginal tissue,

•distortion of the vaginal cavity,

•recurrence of vaginal prolapse, uterine prolapse, or

•urinary problems like incontinence.

     More and more pelvic mesh patients are filing lawsuits over these complications, many of which have led to further surgery to remove the device and fix what it damaged. Of course, any device removal surgery, including pelvic mesh removal, will bring with it its own risks of infection, complications, and failure, as well as extra medical expenses.