Pelvic organ prolapse is a common condition among aging women, characterized by the shifting of pelvic organs, which push up against the vaginal walls. The condition may occur as a result of surgery or childbirth and oftentimes causes pain or discomfort. One method of treating prolapse is to use a synthetic polypropylene mesh to provide mechanical support for the failing inner vaginal walls, and various different kinds of meshes have been created for this procedure. The article discussed below states, “High stiffness meshes, i.e. those resistant to stretch when deformed, have been purported to directly influence the rate of mesh-related complications.”
A mechanistic study titled “Vaginal Degeneration Following Implantation of Synthetic Mesh with Increased Stiffness” was conducted by Liang et al. and published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The purpose of the study was “To compare the impact of the prototype prolapse mesh Gynemesh PS with that of two new-generation lower stiffness meshes, UltraPro and SmartMesh, on vaginal morphology and structural composition.” This particular study employed a non-human primate model; subjects were parous rhesus macaques, all with similar Pelvic organ Prolapse scores. Different kinds of meshes were implanted into each subject, and the outcomes were compared.
The authors of the study concluded that “The most significant findings of this study were that the stiffer and heavier mesh Gynemesh PS had a profoundly negative impact on vaginal morphology and the structural proteins that maintain the integrity of the vagina relative to sham-operated controls.” Sham-operated controls, in this study, refers to subjects that underwent the same surgical procedure without implantation of the mesh. The authors go on to state that stiffer, heavier, and less porous meshes were more commonly associated with negative outcomes for the subjects. In this study specifically, Gynemesh PS was associated with the highest rate of complications, whereas UltraPro and SmartMesh did not show the same degeneration of vaginal tissues.
Sadly, many women use transvaginal mesh kits without knowing the rate of failure associated with TVM, and/or without being informed of the possible harmful side-effects TVM use carries. Because of this lack of oversight by TVM manufacturers, vaginal mesh lawsuits have been filed in great number around the world.
If you or a loved one used TVM and experienced vaginal mesh erosion, vaginal mesh-related infection, or another TVM complication, please do not hesitate to contact our team of vaginal mesh lawyers at the information provided below.
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Our Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about Transvaginal Mesh.