Common Complications from Vaginal Mesh Implants

Vaginal mesh surgery, when performed by competent experts has been shown to treat incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. However, the Food and Drug Administration continues to warn women across the country. The numbers are glaring – one of six women will experience complications eighteen months from the surgery. Here are some signs that you or someone you know maybe suffering from vaginal mesh complications.

1. Pain in the vagina, buttocks and legs

These complications are the first ones to present themselves. They happen when the implants slowly strain the muscles and the nerves on the pelvic floor. Synthetic mesh implants can shrink over time and lead to a lot of pain. While the current practice now is to implant mesh with no tension, earlier procedures were not performed this way.

2. Abscess

Sometimes when this procedure is not done properly, your body can develop pockets of pus and infection, which when left untreated can cause inflammation, swelling and pain. Experts agree that how well your body reacts to the surgery is always a function of how well the procedure was done. This complication is rarer but no less real.

3. Mesh erosion

As time passes, the synthetic material of the mesh tends to erode through the tissues inside the vagina. The mesh may also poke through an incision line that has not healed properly. Mesh erosion also happens when the implant is placed too close to the surface. Tightness, pain and infections are just some of the things you can expect from procedures that have not been done properly.

4. Pain during intercourse

This form of complication may present itself in two ways. First, your partner may feel discomfort from the protrusions of the mesh. In the worst of cases, there can be laceration. The other form, tightness and strain on the vaginal muscles, are so much worse for women.

If you or someone you care about are experiencing any of these common telltale signs of complications from vaginal mesh surgery, it's imperative that you seek medical advice. If you have already done so and you wish to assert your rights, contact the Medical Malpractice Lawyers of the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314)588-7200. We fight for women who have been victimized by faulty vaginal mesh designs and implantations.