The WomensHealth.govUrinary Incontinence Fact Sheet” highlights how changes in a women’s body after life events such as childbirth and menopause can cause Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). Some women suffering with SUI have elected surgery to correct this often embarrassing issue. However, the medical device used to correct their loss of bladder control, Transvaginal Mesh, has been found to be defective and has caused harm to many women.
Urinary incontinence often caused by common life events
Urinary incontinence (or loss of bladder control) occurs when a person is unable to control the release of urine through the bladder. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs when urine is released through pressures such as coughing, sneezing, exercising or other activities.

  • Pregnancy — unborn babies can push down on the bladder, urethra and pelvic floor muscles causing pressure that may weaken the pelvic floor support. This can lead to leaks or problems with passing urine.
  • Childbirth — after giving birth, many women leak urine. Labor and vaginal birth can weaken pelvic floor support and damage nerves that control the bladder. Most problems with bladder control during pregnancy and childbirth go away after the muscles have time to heal. However, some women continue to have bladder problems and after birth will undergo a surgical procedure following birth to repair the weakened vaginal wall.
  • Menopause — some women have bladder control problems after their menstrual periods stop. After menopause, the body stops making the female hormone, estrogen. Women’s Health states that some experts believe this estrogen loss weakens the urethral tissue and causes the problems.

Transvaginal Mesh device – Causing harm to women
Transvaginal Mesh is a synthetic or biologic material permanently implanted in women to repair pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or to support the urethra to treat urinary incontinence. To correct SUI, Transvaginal Mesh is frequently used to support the urethra and correct SUI, or correct other conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shown that Transvaginal Mesh can expose patients to health risks such as the erosion of the product into surrounding areas of the pelvis and pelvic organs. Worse, part of the product can become implanted to strengthen the vaginal wall while some of it is not absorbed into the tissue. Sadly, when complications arise, removal of the implant can be complicated and costly. The health issues as a result can be quite severe.  Here are some staggering statistics from a previous blog post we wrote about Transvaginal Mesh issues:

  • There are currently more than 40,000 such lawsuits already filed in multi-district litigation in federal court in Charleston, West Virginia.
  • The mesh is causing serious physical, financial and emotional injuries in hundreds of thousands of injured women across the country.
  • Many women who had complications after SUI surgery didn’t even know the mesh was inserted into their bodies.

Qualified Transvaginal Mesh lawyers can help victims
If you or a loved one has been harmed or suffered adverse effects with the use of a Transvaginal Mesh product, it’s important you speak with an experienced Transvaginal Mesh lawyer. When devices or implants fail to protect patient safety and/or are inadequately designed, the negligence of the manufacturer needs to be addressed. An expert legal representative can help you determine if you have a case and can be compensated for your injuries.

We invite you to contact us for a free consultation.