Women who received vaginal mesh and bladder slings, also known as transvaginal mesh, are alleging serious side effects and injuries. These plastic polymer products have been used since the late 1990's to strengthen the pelvic wall in cases of pelvic organ prolapse, a condition that affects thousands of women annually.
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the connective tissue and muscles that surround the pelvic organs grow weak or stretch, often after childbirth. The surgical mesh is also used as a bladder sling in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. In 2010 alone, US doctors implanted 70,000 vaginal mesh devices for prolapse and 195,000 for incontinence. An FDA analysis found 10% of women experienced mesh erosion within 12 months, meaning it wore through the vaginal wall into the surrounding tissue or organs. More than half of the women required follow-up surgery to remove the mesh -- sometimes requiring two or three procedures.
Over 23,000 lawsuits have been filed around the nation. Endo International has agreed to pay $830 million to resolve legal claims from women who say they were injured by transvaginal mesh devices. Endo's move to settle is a sign many vaginal-mesh makers are ready to end litigation over the devices.
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