Ethicon Gynecare Pelvic Mesh Lawsuit Centralization Sought in New Jersey

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A request has been filed to centralize more than 60 Ethicon Gynecare pelvic mesh lawsuits that are currently pending in New Jersey state court, indicating that many more cases are likely to be filed over the allegedly defective vaginal mesh.

All of the cases involve allegations that problems with Gynecare Prolift, Gynecare Transvaginal Tape or Gynecare Gynemesh, which are pelvic mesh products manufactured by Ethicon for treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, caused women to experience vaginal erosion, infections, pain, urinary problems and other complications.

Ethicon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, which is based in Middlesex County, New Jersey. All but one of the New Jersey cases are currently pending in that county, and attorneys for several plaintiffs are requesting that all of the lawsuits be assigned for centralized management in Middlesex County.

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Learn More About

Vaginal Mesh / Bladder Sling Lawsuits

Complications from transvaginal mesh may cause severe injuries.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

“Each case alleges violations of the Product Liability Act, and the determination of liability in each case will rely upon the same core of voluminous documents and medical literature,” lawyers argued in their request for centralization. “Common experts will in all likelihood be utilized in the cases, at least with regard to the liability issues. Therefore, the discovery and determination of the liability issues should be coordinated under the Centralized Case Management umbrella to promote efficiency, and prevent inconsistent legal rulings on the many common issues that will arise in the course of the litigation.”

In 2008, the FDA issued a public health notification warning of serious problems with vaginal mesh products used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). According to reports received by the FDA from nine different manufacturers, over 1,000 people had suffered severe complications from the surgical mesh, often requiring additional surery to remove the mesh or treat complications.

A pelvic organ prolapse occurs when organs such as the bladder, uterus, bowel or rectum drop and push against the wall of the vagina. This happens when the muscles holding the pelvic organ in place become weak or stretched, often due to childbirth or surgery. The surgical mesh is used to support the muscle.

Female stress urinary incontinence is a condition where urine is involuntarily released during moments of physical stress due to weakened of the muscles that support the bladder and urethra. In repair procedures, the surgical mesh is designed to act like a hammock to reinforce the muscle.

Similar cases have been filed against manufacturers of other vaginal mesh products, including Mentor ObTape lawsuits, which are currently consolidated in federal court as part of an MDL, or multidistrict litigation.

Tags: Ethicon, Gynecare, Gynecare Prolift, New Jersey, ObTape, Surgical Mesh, Vaginal Sling

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9 Comments

Linda
My story is the same. 1 yr. post pelvic floor repair with tvt. I have gotten some relief with daily use of milk of magnesia, low dose of antibiotic to treat chronic UTI and regular anti biotic for tmt of bacterial vaginosis. I alos was fortunate enough to find a gastroenterologist that started botox injections in the rectum and lower back for pain. My last rectal muscle was spasming so bad I could not go. After botox I lost an immediate 15 pounds and have not had to take pain medication. She is reccomending injections every 12 weeks. If you use botox get it under anesthesia because the 1st time I did not and it was horrible. Regardless it has made a huge difference. It has allowed me to get to work, have a bowel movement, and resume some level of enjoyable activity. Next step is cystoscopy and catscan to determine level of mesh deterioration and removal process. It took a year to find a uro gyn that would identify it is the mesh. Botox worked for me
jeanne
I have suffered for 16 years. My sex life ended the day I had Prolene mesh put in my body. The pain during sex is horrible, and I bleed each time I tried. Lost my husband of 23 years. He turned elsewhere to get his needs fullfilled. I have flares when the pressure in my pelvis is so bad I can not walk, sit or lay down. I have chronic hip, leg and back pain. Never dated since my divorce. Who would want this?? It has destoyed my life. Doctor after doctor…no answers. I want this out of my body so bad, I want my life back. I don’t know where to get help, how will Il pay for surgery or even find a doctor who can successfully remove it.
james erickson
i am an attny in mn and have 2 ethicon potetial claims for two women
Kathy
I had the Ethicon TVT Gynecare surgery done 12/2004, Had it removed in 10/2005. Chronic pain on my pelvic right side. Infections after infections. Doctors upon Doctors, can not find out whats wrong with me. They won’t prescribe any kind of medicine. I often have breakdowns with pain. I don’t know what to do any more? I need something done to make this pain go away. My sex life almost doesn’t exsist. I feel like unworthy individual. No where to turn, no information and constantly in pain. It’s like no one cares to help me???????????
Sherry
I too had the TVT-O surgery done in March 2007. Since the surgery I have suffered severe pain in the right opturator muscle and had opturator nerve damage. This results in a 24/7 pain that does not cease. I also experience pain during sex as a result of the nerve damage. I currently see a pain management specialist that now has me on Lortab three times a day…..The good thing is…I don’t have leakage anymore!
cp
I have this and have had nothing but problems since day one. Erosion, fistulas, chronic pain, lack of intercourse due to pain, 10 surgeries to try to correct the problems the mesh rolled down. was too tight, erroded god knows how many times, pain constantly and it all began in my 30″s ..nice huh? They should never have used this product for this purpose. i hope that we as victims are compensated somehow since this isn;t the end. there WIll be more problems to deal with. I was never told anyone experienced any negative problems. Now gues what? It’s par of my body and they can NOT get it out. So with pain I live and J&J goes on their merry way making womens lives miserable.
Susan
Was told in 2010 that the Gynecare TVT-O was safe – even more so than TVT, and would with minimal invasion, fix the stress-incontinence problem (leakage with laughing, sneezing, coughing, etc.). I do NOT leak urine when I laugh, cough, or sneeze now! HOWEVER, I now have pain and bleeding from bladder and vagina, along with pain during intimacy. Urologist tells me that I have to have the tape out and that he does not know if I will be incontinent after the surgery. He said that the propylene mesh is “horrid” and that he “wouldn’t put it in my (his) dog”.
Danni
I had TVT sling put in due to pelvic prolaspe in on Aug. 10, 2009 at Vanderbilt Medical. Not only did they allow my foot to drop and cause permanent injury to my hip but I have constant problems with the mesh including pain, bleeding and cronic constipation. The surgeon DID NOT WARN me of all the mishaps of the product but promised a better quality of life! HA!!! I HAVE NOOO quality of life!!! I AM PERMANENTLY DISABLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
barbara
I had mesh put in to deter stress incontinence..It protruded into my vagina and needed to be removed…another type of mesh was put in and in March of 2010 it had to be trimmed as it was protruding into my vagina…I do not know the mesh used…

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