The surgical use of transvaginal mesh has met with a significant amount of controversy in recent years. Once thought to be a near perfect resolution for female organ prolapse, this surgery has been discovered to be fraught with complications in a substantial number of patients. So frequent were the complications that several class action lawsuits have been filed against mesh manufacturers. The lawsuits contend that the complications that arose from the surgery could have been avoided if the manufacturers had been more careful in their design and surgical instructions to doctors.

In fact, one of the most common complications from these mesh implants involves organ puncture. Designed to hold up an organ like the bladder, rectum, or uterus, this implant instead could pierce a women’s organs and cause puncturing and organ collapse. This damage is extremely painful, if not life-threatening, and requires more surgery to correct. Some women have had to have entire organs removed because of this kind of damage.

Another kind of damage that has been discovered to exist involves the mesh sling actually becoming ingrown into the organ itself. As the sling holds the organ in place, the muscles of the organ may wrap itself around the sling and essentially absorb the implant into the organ itself. This damage causes infection and bleeding and likewise must be corrected with more surgery. Because of these damages, many women have joined in lawsuits to recoup their money and to also seek justice for what they feel is improper warning about the surgery’s risk of complications. These lawsuits have also brought scrutiny to these implants and made some doctors wary about using them at all.

Transvaginal Mesh Implant

If you have had this surgery done and want to know if your own transvaginal mesh has put you at risk of complications, you could be on the lookout for several tell-tale symptoms. These symptoms may indicate that you are currently experiencing complications or that complications could arise soon. This information can help you decide if or when to act to minimize the potential damage to your own body.

One of the most common symptoms of post-surgical mesh implant surgery is pain and bleeding. If you have started spotting outside of your normal period or you are bleeding even when not on your cycle, you should be examined immediately for any damage that your sling may have caused. Likewise, if you have pain in your lower back, lower abdomen, or experience pain when you are having sex, you should also be examined by a doctor. These signs could indicate that your mesh is causing damage to your organs.

Of course, any recurrence of symptoms that you had prior to surgery should be cause for alarm. For example, if you underwent this operation to correct urinary incontinence and your incontinence has returned, it is possible that your sling is no longer working and your bladder has once again prolapsed. Likewise, if you are constipated and having difficulties moving your bowels, you should be seen by a doctor immediately. These symptoms could indicate that your rectum is failing and that you need further corrective surgery to regain your health.