Can Hernia Mesh Be Removed Safely?

Quick Insights

• Hernia mesh removal is a risky but sometimes necessary procedure, often involving complications like organ damage, adhesions, and nerve injury.
• Mesh removal may be required due to complications like infection, hernia recurrence, or chronic pain, especially when the mesh fails or migrates.
• If you’re suffering complications from hernia mesh, possibly due to negligence by manufacturers or surgeons, contact Tosi Law to explore your legal options for compensation.

Hernia mesh repair is a standard procedure for treating hernias, but due to the complications that may arise from it, meshes sometimes need to be removed.

While not uncommon, mesh removal is a dangerous and invasive procedure that can be more complicated than the original repair. Mesh that has migrated, shrunk, or adhered to nearby organs poses significant risks during removal, potentially causing further damage to the patient’s body​.

If you’re facing the prospect of hernia mesh removal, it’s possible that the complications you’re experiencing are not just unfortunate side effects but may be due to negligence on the part of the mesh manufacturer or the surgeon who carried out the procedure. 

Knowing whether negligence is at play can help you determine whether it’s feasible to pursue legal action and hold the responsible parties accountable.

When is Hernia Mesh Removal Necessary?

Hernia mesh removal is usually only considered when complications from the original mesh repair cause severe health issues and less invasive treatments fail. 

The procedure can be dangerous and often requires extensive medical care due to the many complex ways mesh can interact with the patient’s body. 

Here are the primary reasons why hernia mesh removal may become necessary:

• Mesh Failure and Migration: Defective mesh products are prone to issues like migration (when the mesh moves from its original position) or erosion (when the mesh wears away). Both of these outcomes can result in the mesh damaging surrounding organs or tissue, resulting in dangerous adverse effects like intestinal perforation.
• Chronic Infection: Persistent infection in locations surrounding the hernia mesh is a common reason for removal. Infected mesh can’t be treated with antibiotics alone, and the longer it stays in place, the more likely it is for the infection to spread or for sepsis to develop. Removing the mesh in these cases is crucial but challenging due to adhesions that may have formed around it.
• Bowel Obstruction: Mesh can sometimes adhere to the patient’s bowels, resulting in obstructions that can cause extreme discomfort and potentially life-threatening complications. These blockages can lead to severe consequences like bowel perforation and require the mesh to be urgently removed. However, the removal may be extremely challenging in cases of severe adhesion.
• Hernia Recurrence: A patient can experience recurring hernias even after undergoing a mesh repair procedure. This is often caused by defective meshes that shrink or migrate. In these cases, the mesh must be removed so that the patient can undergo another mesh repair procedure.

Dangers Associated With Mesh Removal

While hernia mesh removal is sometimes necessary to address severe complications, it can be considered a high-risk procedure that can lead to additional health issues. The process is often more challenging than the original mesh repair due to the complexity of removing mesh that has adhered to vital organs, migrated, or become entangled with the surrounding tissue. 

While some medical practitioners admit to the absence of significant research on the topic, they do believe that the primary dangers associated with hernia mesh removal are:

• Organ damage
• Nerve damage
• Hernia recurrence
• Excessive bleeding
• Additional infection
• Leg and lung clots
• Increased pain
• Urinary and bowel problems

Different Surgical Types for Mesh Removal

Hernia mesh removal can be performed using different surgical procedures. The choice of surgery depends on the surgeon’s interpretation of the case complexity and the patient’s individual needs.

• Open surgery is the most invasive form of mesh removal, requiring a large abdominal incision to access the mesh. It allows the surgeon to see the site of the implant and is often used when the mesh is deeply embedded or entangled with surrounding organs.
• Laparoscopic surgery is a less invasive option in which the surgeon makes smaller abdominal incisions and uses a camera to see the site. This technique is mainly used when the mesh has caused minimal complications inside the patient’s body.
• Robotic Surgery is an advanced, minimally invasive technique with greater precision and control. The procedure reduces the risk of complications and also shortens the patient’s recovery time. Robotic surgery is especially beneficial in complex cases where surgeons require extreme precision to remove the mesh safely​.

What Symptoms Indicate Mesh Complications?

Despite its popularity in treating hernias, evidence still suggests that the procedure’s benefits might be “offset in part by mesh-related complications.”

If you experience any of the following symptoms after hernia mesh surgery, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately. These may all be a sign of serious complications that can result in further health problems if left untreated.

• Chronic pain
• Mesh Migration and Erosion
• Infections that may or may not respond to treatment
• Bowel Obstruction and Adhesions
• Seromas that don’t resolve with time
• The formation of fistulas

Why Mesh Manufacturers and Surgeons May Be Liable

Mesh removal can sometimes be traced back to flaws with the mesh itself (often due to poor design or improper product documentation) or avoidable mistakes by careless medical service providers.

• Mesh Manufacturers: Mesh products manufactured by companies like Ethicon and C.R. Bard have been subject to FDA recalls due to design flaws that caused severe harm to unfortunate recipients.
• Medical Negligence: In some cases, surgeons may be at fault for fixing the mesh improperly or failing to offer safer options like robotic surgery. Doctors are also at fault if the wrong surgical technique is used or when post-surgical complications become more severe after being ignored.

Pursuing Legal Action for Hernia Mesh Complications

Hernia mesh complications can create significant emotional and financial burdens. At Tosi Law, we understand the distress you’re experiencing and believe that you shouldn’t face these challenges without a professional, sympathetic legal partner at your side. 

Through pursuing legal action, you can get compensation not only for your medical expenses and loss of earnings but also for the pain and psychological suffering you endured.

Why Tosi Law Is the Right Choice 

At Tosi Law, we pride ourselves on providing not only expert legal advice and representation but also a personalized approach that prioritizes our clients’ individual needs.

• Personalized service: From the moment you contact us, you’ll work with a dedicated, in-house case counselor who is highly knowledgeable about the legal landscape surrounding hernia mesh complications.
• Extensive experience in defective medical device litigation: Our legal team has a wealth of experience handling complex cases involving defective medical devices. We’ve helped hundreds of clients pursue compensation for the harm caused by negligent manufacturers.
• No upfront costs: We operate on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t have to worry about legal fees until we secure a settlement or verdict in your favor.

Call Tosi Law if You Have Questions

If you or a loved one has developed multiple myeloma or any other type of cancer after being exposed to Roundup, you could be entitled to compensation. Please call Tosi Law LLP at 888-311-8292 for more information. Our defective product lawyers are ready to help you file a Roundup lawsuit.

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How to Get Started

If you or someone you know is suffering from hernia mesh complications, it’s essential to act now. Your case may be subject to deadline laws (“statutes of limitations”) that dictate how long you have before you can file a lawsuit.

Tosi Law can help you determine your case’s eligibility, explore your legal options, and advise you on the best way forward in your journey toward justice and financial compensation.