Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
Any surgical procedure comes with risks, but in the case of hernia surgeries those risks may not have been adequately communicated to patients. Hernia mesh products have faced recalls and significant legal scrutiny over their tendency to shrink, degrade or migrate, causing serious medical consequences. Anybody who has suffered pain or additional medical procedures following the application of surgical hernia mesh should contact a personal injury attorney at Altman & Altman LLP today.
What is surgical hernia mesh, and how is it dangerous?
Surgical hernia mesh is a medical device made from either organic or synthetic materials, usually the latter, which is intended to hold a hernia in place during surgery and prevent it from reoccurring following a surgery to repair it. It is a thin piece of woven mesh that is intended to not only be safe for the patient, but actually help them towards a successful surgery and recovery.
Unfortunately, mounting scientific evidence has shown that synthetic hernia mesh – particularly those products made from the plastic compound polypropylene – can shrink, oxidize and degrade or otherwise malfunction and fail, causing adverse reactions in patients that lead to serious consequences, including:
- Intestinal and bowel blockages
- Further organ tears or perforations
- Re-occurrence of the hernia
- Fistulas – irregular connections made between organs that should remain separated
- Auto-immune reactions from the body rejecting the synthetic material
Additionally, some hernia mesh products utilize a special coating to prevent certain side effects like inflammation, and to prevent the mesh from shrinking once inside the body – which is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, these coatings can also cause allergic reactions or other adverse consequences, such as bowel blockages, as well.
Needless to say, when a medical device intended to help a patient actually causes more harm and requires additional surgery or time in the hospital, this is ripe ground for a potential personal injury claim. Manufacturers of hernia mesh products have faced numerous lawsuits and, in the case of Johnson & Johnson subsidiary company Ethicon – which produced the popular Physiomesh product – they voluntarily removed the product from the market due to the possible risks associated with its use.
Altman & Altman is here to fight for you
Medical device manufacturers have a gigantic burden of responsibility to produce products that are safe to use in the medical field. It is understandable that surgery comes with risks, but those risks must be clearly communicated to and agreed upon with the full knowledge of the patient who is about to have that surgery. In the case of hernia mesh, medical manufacturers continue to deny the adverse health risks associated with hernia mesh, and it is still widely used today.
The attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have over 50 years of experience handling every different kind of personal injury case imaginable, including failure to warn and medical malpractice cases that result in adverse harm to patients who must trust doctors and rely on the medical devices they utilize.
We understand how frightening it can be when you have a surgery that results in further medical complications, resulting in more time spent in the hospital that was not planned for, and more time missed from work where you are not collecting a paycheck – not to mention the medical bills that will pile up as a result of the extra work needed to recover.
A successful personal injury suit against a negligent doctor or medical device manufacturer can help ease those financial burdens, and we have an unparalleled track record in Massachusetts – whether you’re in Cambridge, the surrounding Boston area or anywhere else in the state – of getting results for our clients who are injured through no fault of their own.
Contact us online or call for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7 to start crafting a legal strategy that is personally tailored to your needs and ultimate goals.
