Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit Filed Against Johnson & Johnson

A Louisiana woman filed a vaginal mesh lawsuit against Johnson and Johnson last week, claiming that a pelvic floor repair system manufactured by the company is defective. According to The Louisiana Record, Linda B. Ryan is seeking more than $1.5 million in damages from the healthcare and pharmaceutical conglomerate. The plaintiff looks to recover compensation for medical bills, loss of life’s enjoyment, pain and suffering, emotional anguish and disfigurement, among other losses. Notably, Ms. Ryan’s transvaginal mesh lawsuit, filed on Nov. 4 in federal court in New Orleans, marks the most recent in a long line of complaints about transvaginal mesh systems.

According to the FDA, transvaginal mesh products have been linked to various complications.

Ms. Ryan alleges that the Johnson and Johnson product, which the plaintiff used in 2007 to treat restocele, entrocele, vaginal vault prolapse and symptomatic cystocele, is defective. The following are among the products named in the transvaginal mesh lawsuit:

• Gynecare TVT Obturator System
• Gynecare TVT System
• Gynecare Prolift Pelvic Floor System
• Gynecare Prolift Anterior, Posterior, and/or Total Pelvic Floor System
• Gynecare Prolift + M Pelvic Floor Repair
• Gynecare TVT Secure System

The plaintiff states that the product has resulted in a number of mesh side effects, including discharge, urinary incontinence, infection, vaginal bleeding, mesh erosion, scarring, pain during sex and vaginal prolapse.

According to the FDA, transvaginal mesh products, such as the Gynecare Systems, have been linked to various complications, including but not limited to infection, urinary problems, recurrence of prolapse or incontinence and bladder or blood vessel perforation. In 2008, the FDA first issued a public health notification to alert woman about recurring complications connected to the product. Over the course of three years, the FDA had received upwards of 1000 reports of vaginal mesh complications from nine different manufacturers and warned that these vaginal sling problems may have serious consequences. Since then, the FDA has offered an updated safety warning that vaginal mesh surgeries may expose patients to greater risk than other surgical options without evidence of any greater clinical benefit and that the number of reported complications had continued to increase.

Women suffering from vaginal mesh complications could have the opportunity to participate in a vaginal mesh lawsuit against the manufacturer. Those experiencing negative side effects from vaginal mesh surgeries may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages resulting from their mesh surgery. If you or a loved one is experiencing complications from mesh surgery, such as mesh erosion, following stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse surgery, it’s important to seek legal assistance immediately. There is a statute of limitations for filing claims of vaginal mesh injuries, so do not hesitate to contact our POP mesh lawyers today for a free case review by completing the form on the right.