Hernia Mesh Failure Symptoms | Saunders & Walker P.A.

Updated: May 22, 2019

A patient experiencing abdominal pain because of hernia mesh failure.

With more than a million hernia repair surgeries taking place each year, most of which make use of hernia mesh implants, it is not surprising that some of these patients develop hernia mesh problems. In fact, an FDA analysis of peer-reviewed, scientific literature and medical device adverse event reports points to several possible complications from these surgeries.¹

Hernia mesh failure symptoms are widely varied, depending on whether the patient suffers from hernia mesh rejection, tearing, migration, or infection. While some poor outcomes may be unavoidable, poor implant design and improper surgical applications can lead to a wide variety of complications. As a result, patients are fighting back by filing hernia mesh lawsuits across the nation.

Spotting the Symptoms of Hernia Mesh Problems

Surgical mesh implants can fail in numerous ways, and each failure can have its own set of symptoms. Many hernia mesh rejection symptoms and side effects can be vague, so it’s important that patients recovering from hernia surgeries check in with their doctors any time there is lasting hernia mesh pain, discomfort, or sustained illness after hernia repair surgery following an inguinal hernia or other injury.

If you are wondering how to tell if hernia mesh has failed, the warning signs of serious complications can include:

Abdominal pain (local or generalized) or chronic pain that persists in approximately 11% of patients²
Cramping, bloating, or a distended abdomen
Nausea, constipation, or diarrhea
Major bleeding or signs of infection at the incision site
Blood in your urine, which could be caused by migration to the bladder
Tenderness, redness, swelling, and/or increased heat in the area
The formation of fistulas, which are connections that develop between the intestinal tract and the skin, which can occur in more than 5% of hernia repair surgeries³
Fever, chills, or other flu-like symptoms that may indicate hernia mesh rejection
Fatigue, exhaustion, or malaise which may be signs of chronic infection or developing issues

Hernia Mesh Complications Can Cause Lasting Damage

Like most implanted medical devices, mesh products can break down and cause lasting damage to the body. Polypropylene mesh in particular has been known to tear or disintegrate and adhere to organs causing serious damage. The body’s immune system may reject the foreign material, causing chronic pain and infection, and requiring revision surgery.

Let’s look into the ways that hernia mesh surgery can fail and the serious and life-threatening conditions that can develop as a result.

Hernia Mesh Rejection

In cases of rejection, the patient’s immune response recognizes the mesh as foreign and the body rejects the substance, causing signs of hernia mesh rejection including pain and illness. Rejection happens soon after surgery and is often associated with deep chronic infections which are difficult to treat. Intravenous antibiotics are often required, and surgery may be needed to remove the mesh. Chronic bacterial or viral infections occur in as many as 8% of patients.⁴

Hernia Mesh Migration

In a migration, the implant begins to physically erode in the body, allowing pieces to break away and move (or migrate) to other areas, including major organs. Migration can occur long after implantation, due to gradual erosion of the mesh. Even if your surgery was years ago, mesh migration can cause abscesses, fistulas, and adhesions.

Symptoms of torn hernia mesh may include pain in areas away from the repair site, and the body’s reaction to the wandering pieces of mesh may include the formation of scar tissue that can cause bowel obstruction or bowel perforation, both of which are medical emergencies.

Hernia Mesh Adhesions

Adhesions are scar tissue that link unrelated tissues together. When the body reacts to the implanted mesh, it attempts to heal the area, with unintended connections between internal organs, muscles, and the skin. Severe and chronic pain might be the only symptom of developing adhesions and is one of the most challenging hernia mesh failure symptoms to diagnose.

Erectile Dysfunction

Possibly due to restricted blood flow, many men who have hernia mesh problems may have difficulty becoming aroused, or experience loss of sensitivity and changes in testicular size.⁵ These side effects may be signs of hernia mesh rejection or failure, and also affect quality of life and relationships.

Hernia Recurrence

Mesh implants tend to have lower recurrence rates than other types of hernia treatments, but recurrence of hernias is still a common complication. A new injury can cause a hernia to recur, but it may also come back because of mesh migration, fistula formation, or muscle wall perforation as part of hernia mesh failure.

Revision Surgeries to Remove Hernia Mesh

If you have experienced multiple surgeries to correct conditions caused by hernia mesh, this is also a sign of hernia mesh rejection or failure. Each of these surgeries may result in more painful recovery time, lost income, medical expenses, and additional risk for the patient.

Hernia Mesh Failures: A Troublesome Legal History

The surgical mesh used in hernia repair surgeries is no stranger to legal woes. In fact, numerous recalls dating back to the early 2000s have been issued for a variety of hernia mesh products, and more than 3,000 related lawsuits have appeared in federal court systems.

Notable Recalls & Market Withdrawals

The companies that manufacture surgical mesh say they try to produce the safest, most effective products. Over the last two decades, however, hazardous hernia meshes have been called into question several times.

Initiated in 2005, manufacturer C.R. Bard was forced to recall and stop selling their Bard Composix Kugel Mesh implant due to significant concerns about bowel tearing.^6,7
Following a warning letter in 2012, Atrium Medical Corporation was ordered by the FDA in 2013 to recall its C-QUR V-Patch Mesh implant due to a packaging flaw that made the mesh unusable.⁸ When further issues arose a few years later (2015-2016), a court issued an injunction against the manufacturer prohibiting the production and sale of C-QUR mesh.⁹
Perhaps some of the most serious incidents led to a market withdrawal of Ethicon’s Physiomesh. The Physiomesh product was made primarily out of a composite plastic known as polypropylene. Unfortunately, the human body can have serious adverse reactions to polypropylene, and patients began to report serious injuries and illnesses. In 2016, the mesh was withdrawn due to complaints that it had caused infections, perforated patients’ organs, and migrated to other areas of the body.¹⁰

Thousands of Mesh Implant Lawsuits Have Been Filed

With more than 3,000 product liability suits filed on behalf of victims of hernia mesh failure, the courts have necessarily consolidated many of the cases into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). The cases are still considered separate (unlike a class action suit) but will be handled as a group by the same court. This streamlines things for the legal system and allows victims to seek justice independently and receive individual settlements for their cases.

Should You Talk to an Attorney If You Suspect Hernia Mesh Problems?

A hernia mesh attorney shaking hand with a client who is dealing with hernia mesh problems.

If you’ve been a victim of complications caused by unsafe surgical mesh, you have the right to be compensated for your injuries. At Saunders & Walker P.A., we specialize in helping victims hold irresponsible medical manufacturers accountable for their negligence.

We have the resources and experience to handle your case against product manufacturers and medical professionals with a track record of thousands of successful cases. We’ll help you determine whether you have a case, explain your rights and obligations, and guide you step-by-step through the process of your lawsuit.

Hernia mesh pain may mean more dangerous complications are developing. If you have hernia mesh failure symptoms, seek medical attention right away, and then sound legal advice. To schedule a free initial consultation with our trusted team, contact us online or call (727) 579-4500.

Sources:

Symptoms and Complications of Hernia Mesh Failure