Thousands of Women File Lawsuits Alleging Vaginal Mesh Products Caused Serious Harm

Last Updated on January 11, 2022

Investigation Complete

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have finished their investigation into this matter.

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Case Update

November 4, 2019
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are no longer accepting claims on behalf of patients who were implanted with transvaginal mesh products. If you have a question about your rights in regard to TVM, please contact an attorney in your area. The information below is for reference only. For a list of open investigations, visit our lawsuit list page.

At A Glance

This Alert Affects:
Patients who were implanted with transvaginal mesh products.
Injuries:
Erosion through the vaginal epithelium, infection, urinary problems, recurrence of prolapse, pain, bowel, bladder or blood vessel perforation, recurrence of incontinence, vaginal scarring and painful sexual intercourse.
Manufacturers:
Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon, Caldera Corporation, Mentor Corporation, C.R. Bard, Boston Scientific, Sofradim and others
What is Transvaginal Mesh?
Transvaginal meshes are used in women with urinary stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Examples of transvaginal mesh and bladder sling products include Bard's Avaulta, Mentor ObTape, Tyco IVS, Gynecare TVT, MiniArc single incision sling, and Bard's Pelvisoft, Pelvilace and Pelvicol.
FDA Warning:
The FDA released an initial warning about vaginal mesh complications in Oct. 2008. Then, in July 2011, the FDA announced that women who were implanted with a transvaginal mesh were at a greater risk for complications than those undergoing other treatment for pelvic organ prolapse repair.
Type of Lawsuit:
Mass Tort

More than 30,000 women have filed lawsuits against makers of transvaginal mesh devices after suffering mesh erosion, vaginal scarring, pain, and other complications following surgery.

At least six medical device manufacturers are being targeted by the litigation, which claims that the implants are defective, dangerous, and unfit for use. It is believed that the alleged defects within these products are not limited to a single brand or type of implant, leaving thousands of women who underwent mesh surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) at risk for serious injuries.

If you experienced complications after undergoing surgery with a transvaginal mesh, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries. 

You only have a certain amount of time to take legal action, so do not hesitate to contact us today for this free consultation.

Avaulta, Gynecare, Other Bladder Slings Targeted by Litigation

Attorneys across the country are handling lawsuits on behalf of patients who were implanted with vaginal mesh products and bladder slings used in the surgical repair of POP or SUI. Many women who underwent vaginal mesh surgery may be unaware of the type of mesh or bladder sling used in their procedure. If you do not know which product you received, your attorney may be able to help you request copies of your medical records to determine the exact product used in your surgery.

The following manufacturers are facing thousands of lawsuits over their vaginal mesh and bladder sling products:

  • C.R. Bard, which manufactures:
    • Avaulta Biosynthetic
    • Avualta Plus
    • Avaulta Solo
    • PelviSoft
    • PelviLace
    • Pelvicol
  • American Medical Systems, Inc., which manufactures:
    • Mini Arc Single Incision Sling
    • BioArc Transvaginal Mesh System
    • Elevate Anterior and Posterior Prolapse Repair System
    • Perigee System
    • Apogee Vaginal Vault Prolapse Repair System
    • Monarc Subfascial Hammock
  • Boston Scientific Corp., which manufactures:
    • Advantage Transvaginal Mid-Urethral Sling System
    • Obtryx Transobturator Mid-Urethral Sling System
    • Pinnacle Posterior Pelvic Floor Repair Kit
    • Prefyx PPS System
    • Prefyx Mid U Mesh Sling System
    • Polyform Synthetic Mesh
    • Uphold Vaginal Support System
  • Ethicon, Inc., which manufactures:
    • Gynecare Prolift Pelvic Mesh
    • Gynecare Gynemesh
    • Gynecare TVT Sling
    • Gynecare Prosima Pelvic Mesh
    • Prolene Mesh
  • Coloplast Corp., which manufactures:
    • Novasilk Synthetic Flat Mesh
    • Restorelle Smartmesh
    • Exair Mesh
    • Aris Transobturator (TOT) Bladder Sling
    • Omnisure Bladder Sling
    • Minitape Sling
    • T-Sling with Centrasorb
  • Cook Medical Inc., which manufactures:
    • Stratasis Tension-Free Urethral Bladder Sling
    • Surgisis Biodesign Tension-Free Urethral Sling
    • Urological Stratasis Urethreal Sling
    • Surgisis Biodesign Posterior Pelvic Floor Graft
    • Surgisis Biodesign Anterior Pelvic Floor Graft

A few of these mesh products have been recalled or discontinued due to high failure rates, design flaws, or other safety issues.

Why Are Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits Being Filed?

Medical device lawsuits are commonly filed after a company is accused of selling a product that contains a design, manufacturing, or marketing defect (e.g. inadequate warnings).

Lawsuits involving transvaginal mesh products specifically allege:

  • Manufacturers failed to properly advise doctors as to the risks associated with the mesh implants

  • The materials used to construct the mesh products can cause adverse immune or inflammatory reactions in patients

  • Implantation of a defective bladder sling or vaginal mesh can result in serious harm due to contraction, retraction or shrinkage of the mesh, possibly requiring surgical intervention

  • Mesh implants have high rates of failure, injury and complications; do not work as intended; and have caused severe and irreversible damage, which may include chronic pelvic pain, scarring, organ perforation, inflammation, infection, mesh erosion, nerve damage, and pain during sex

Women who claim they were injured as a result of a defective bladder sling or mesh are seeking compensation for losses including, but not limited to, loss of enjoyment of life, current and future medical costs, disability, pain and suffering, and loss of marital relations.

Is This a Class Action Lawsuit?

No, these lawsuits are being filed individually. The majority of vaginal mesh cases are being handled through a procedure known as multidistrict litigation (MDL). All federally-filed cases involving the mesh products are currently pending before Chief Judge Joseph R. Goodwin in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Often, in cases involving defective medical devices, lawsuits are consolidated into an MDL for pretrial proceedings. This can help to expedite the litigation, reduce costs for all parties involved, avoid overloading the judicial system and ensure consistent rulings. Even when cases are consolidated as part of an MDL, it is important for claimants to remember that they each will retain their own case, attorney, and right to an individual monetary award.

How Much Does a Vaginal Mesh Lawyer Cost?

Most lawyers handling these lawsuits work on a contingency-fee basis. This means that if the suit is unsuccessful, the plaintiff will not have to pay his or her attorney for any work done on the case. If the case is successful, the attorney will collect a portion of the settlement award or jury verdict.

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