Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
Another plaintiff is suing for personal injuries from a transvaginal mesh device. Stacey Pangborn claims she developed prolapse and incontinence and experienced serious pain in her pelvis, abdomen, and vagina after the device failed. The defendants of her defective medical device lawsuit are Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon.
If you are a woman in Massachusetts that has suffered health complications or injuries because of a transvaginal mesh device, our Boston injury lawyers want to hear from you. Already as far back as 2008, the Food And Drug Administration reported that it had received over 1,000 reports of adverse incidents involving transvaginal mesh procedures between 2005 and 2007 alone. Last year, the FDA issued an update that “serious complications” related to the procedure are “not rare” and the use of the mesh device to treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse or Stress Urinary Incontinence doesn’t appear to necessarily up the chances of a better outcome than if someone were to choose the more traditional procedures that don’t require a mesh implant.
The medical device is inserted in the pelvic area to provide support should a woman’s organs fall, drop, bulge, or protrude into the vaginal wall after childbirth or pregnancy, or from other reasons. Mesh can be also used to repair protrusions of the bladder, vagina, uterus, bowel, rectum, or urethra, as well as treat urinary incontinence.
Unfortunately, there have been some health complications linked to transvaginal mesh, including:
• Organ perforation • Urinary issues • Painful intercourse • Severe vaginal pain • Vaginal bleeding • Infections • Vaginal shortening
Treating these complications can be painful, costly, and time consuming. Multiple surgeries may be required and the patient might experience mental and emotional distress in addition to their physical pain and suffering. Inability to enjoy sexual relations, a decrease in quality of life, loss of consortium, and lost wages are just some of the other possible related losses. Other companies that make transvaginal mesh devices include American Medical CSystems, CR Bard, Inc., and Boston Scientific.
According to Bloomberg.com, over 550 defective medical device lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson. The manufacturer reportedly sold the Gynecare Prolift device, a vaginal mesh implant, for three years prior to US regulators approving it. While J & J believed the device was similar enough to the already approved Gynecare Gynemesh, the Food and Drug Administration disagreed.
To find out whether you have grounds for a Massachusetts transvaginal mesh lawsuit, contact our Boston defective medical device law firm today.
Pangborn v. Ethicon, Inc. et al, Justia Dockets and Filings, April 3, 2012
J&J Marketed Vaginal Mesh Implant Without U.S. Approval, Bloomberg, March 21, 2012
More Blog Posts:
Vaginal Mesh Injuries Lead to Boston Defective Medical Device Lawsuits, Boston Injury Lawyers Blog, September 22, 2011
Defective Medical Device?: Transvaginal Mesh to Treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse May Cause Health Complications, Warns FDA, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, July 15, 2011
Boston Products Liability?: FDA Considering Tougher Review Process for Mesh Products, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 30, 2011
