Yes! If you are complaining of pain and discomfort with your hernia mesh, yes, it is failing. Hernia meshes are foreign objects that help reinforce the muscle wall but also create an inflammatory response inside the body.
“My clients often have had pain for over six months and tell me something does not feel right. Besides being a lawyer, I have learned to be an immunologist, chemist and biomechanical expert.”
What Is Happening Inside You to Cause Discomfort, Pain And Hernia Mesh Rejection?
Hernia mesh is a lattice of synthetic fibers that reinforces the musculature. What hernia mesh manufacturers or the FDA doesn’t tell you is that your body is fighting the mesh. “My bible for information is a great 2017 medical article Past, Present and Future Surgical Meshes, by Dr. Kaylon Baylon. She puts everything in simple terms.”
- Early Infection: Surgery rips apart muscle, blood vessels, skin and many micro-structures. Bacteria is attracted to this area, as well as the incision site. Surgeons will try antibiotics to cure this.
- Early Nerve Pain Which Does Not Get Better: This often happens in inguinal hernia meshes. There are many nerves in the inguinal canal and pelvic area.
- Acute Inflammatory Response: “Angry” cellular soldiers try to attack the polypropylene, Marlex, polyester, expanded Teflon, surgical tacks and sutures which may be in you. This may cause low-grade pain.
- Chronic Inflammatory Response: This begins within six months and causes low-grade pain from internal swelling. Lab tests would reveal macrophages and lymphocytes trying to clean up necrotic tissues.
- Immune Response: Your body senses that the hernia mesh is a permanent foreign body. As a result, giant cells respond by creating scar tissue around the mesh. This shrinks and tears the mesh and can pull the mesh right from the stitching. Clients tell me “It feels like it moved. There’s a new pain. I now feel tugging.”
- Internal Scars Known as Adhesions: Scars bridge from the mesh to internal organs. The mesh shrinks, moves and can erode into the intestines. The elasticity of the mesh disappears. Hernias may reoccur.
- Inguinal Nerve Scarring: This is an extremely disabling injury, particularly in men who may develop testicular involvement. The mesh becomes so entrapped in scar tissue that surgeons often tell patients that the mesh can’t be removed.
- Late Infection, sinus tracts: The body’s natural immune response leads to a seromas (internal blisters) or bacterial attack that can’t be cured by antibiotics.
Should I Talk to A Lawyer About Litigation, Legal Options And Settlements? Making A “Legal Diagnosis”
We rely on a patient’s doctors to diagnose the condition. Our litigation and settlement experience with hernia meshes allows for us to give you a “legal” diagnosis. Hernia meshes are not all the same. We match your pain, suffering and mesh failure to the specific mesh design you have. “It is sad when the FDA won’t protect patients. Bad meshes flood the market and accountability only comes after there are victims.”
