Ethicon Proceed Lawsuit Alleges Mesh Caused Bowel Obstruction Following Hernia Repair

According to allegations raised in a product liability lawsuit filed by an Idaho man, complications following hernia surgery were caused by problems with Ethicon Proceed mesh used by his surgeons. 

The complaint (PDF) was filed against Johnson & Johnson and it’s Ethicon subsidiary on March 7, indicating that the design of Ethicon Proceed hernia mesh caused Ronald Grunig to suffer a number of severe injuries resulting in the need for additional surgery due to bowel obstructions.

Grunig indicates that his surgeons implanted a 20 x 25 cm Ethicon Proceed Surgical Mesh in October 2010, during ventral hernia repair. However, in July 2017, he was admitted to the emergency room after experiencing symptoms of nausea, vomiting, pain, discomfort and abdominal distension. Doctors ultimately diagnosed w bowel obstruction caused by the Ethicon Proceed mesh, resulting in the need for a bowel dissection and surgery to remove a portion of the mesh.

According to allegations raised in the Ethicon Proceed lawsuit, the injuries were caused by manufacturing and design defects inherent in the polypropylene mesh.

“These manufacturing and design defects associated with the Proceed were directly and proximately related to the injuries suffered by Plaintiff Ronald Grunig,” the lawsuit states. “Neither Plaintiff Ronald Grunig nor his physician were adequately warned or informed by Defendants of the defective and dangerous nature of Proceed. Moreover, neither Plaintiff Ronald Grunig nor his implanting physician were adequately warned or informed by Defendants of the risks associated with the Proceed or the frequency, severity, or duration of such risks.”

The complaint presents claims of defective manufacture, defective design, failure to warn, negligence, and loss of consortium.

The case comes as a growing number of hernia mesh lawsuits continue to be filed against manufacturers of various different products introduced in recent years, which have since been found to be the cause of painful and debilitating injuries nationwide.

Grunic’s lawsuit raises allegation similar to those presented in cases brought over other polypropylene mesh products, including Bard Ventralex lawsuits, Atrium C-Qur lawsuits and Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuits.