Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

The use of polypropylene, a synthetic material utilized to manufacture hernia mesh products, has caused numerous lawsuits against manufacturers due to the apparent harm that may result in patients following its application. If you or a loved one received a polypropylene hernia mesh product following surgery and developed painful side effects or even passed away, contact a professional personal injury attorney at Altman & Altman LLP today to file a claim for possible financial compensation.

Some of the biggest names that manufacture polypropylene mesh products include Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson; Atrium Medical Corp.; C.R. Bard; Covidien; Gore Medical and the Genzyme Corporation. All have faced lawsuits for failure to warn of the potential dangers of their products and have faced recalls or market withdrawals from government regulators.

The risks associated with malfunctioning polypropylene hernia mesh can cause numerous complications resulting in serious medical harm, all the way up to wrongful death cases. Other potential side effects of the use of these products include:

• Oxidation of the mesh causing degradation, shrinking or migration of the product, which can cause tears within the body, block intestines or cause other problems
• Autoimmune reactions resulting from the body rejecting the material
• Reoccurrence of hernia that the mesh was intended to help fix
• Occurrence of fistulas – which are irregular connections made between organs that should stay separated, which can cause inflammation, pain and serious injuries

Is Polypropylene Really Dangerous?

For decades, polypropylene has been heralded by hernia mesh manufacturers as a totally safe synthetic material that is cheap to manufacture, is workable, breathable and will not degrade within the body following its application during surgeries for hernia repair.

However, scientific studies have cast a shadow of doubt on these claims, and have shown that degradation of hernia mesh products is not only possible, but even alarmingly common. These studies have led manufacturers, like Ethicon, to voluntarily take one of their leading hernia mesh products – Physiomesh – off the market as a preventative measure from possibly being recalled, which would have harsher consequences for the company.

Other hernia mesh manufacturers that utilize polypropylene have found themselves facing lawsuits as well. Atrium, for example, faced numerous lawsuits regarding its C-QUR line of products, which utilized an adhesive coating on the mesh made from Omega 3 fatty acids to prevent the mesh from shrinking once inside the body. However, this coating came with its own risks and health complications, such as allergic reactions, infections and bowel obstructions.

The Risks are Apparent, and Companies Should be Held Responsible

With any medical product, risks to the patient must be accounted for, clearly communicated and explained to the patient prior to being utilized. In the case of some of the manufacturers of polypropylene mesh, these potential risks were either ignored or not communicated, which can be grounds for a failure to warn lawsuit.

Injuries sustained from degrading, shrinking, migrating or otherwise faulty hernia mesh can be debilitating and lead to additional time in a hospital for recovery or additional surgeries, which can add up to astronomical medical expenses for the patient. Additionally, you may be missing significant time from work during your recovery, which may lead to further financial burden.

A personal injury claim may lead to significant financial compensation, putting your mind at ease and helping you recover without being concerned about providing for yourself, your family or being buried under medical bills. The expert personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have over 50 years of experience helping our clients in Cambridge, the Greater Boston Area and throughout Massachusetts get the compensation they are entitled to, and we can help you too.

There is no risk involved, as we offer free consultations to go over the details of your case, and we don’t charge unless we win your case. Contact us online or call today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.