Bard Ventralex Hernia Mesh Failure Lawsuit Alleges Implant Design Led to Infection

Lawsuit claims man needed emergency surgery after doctors detected an infection and small fistula where the hernia mesh adhered to his small bowel.

A California man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging that his Bard Ventralex hernia mesh crumpled and failed, causing an infection that required emergency surgery to remove the mesh and 10 centimeters of his bowel.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Sean Raymond in the Superior Court of California in Sacramento on September 30, naming C.R. Bard Inc. and Davol Inc. as defendants. The case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on October 7.

Raymond claims the defendants knew about problems with the Bard Ventralex design for years, yet were willing to put patients at risk for the benefit of their bottom line.

Bard Ventralex Hernia Mesh Risks

C.R. Bard hernia meshes like the Ventralex are marketed as a safe and effective option for umbilical hernia repairs. They are designed to reinforce weakened abdominal tissue and lower the risk of a hernia recurrence.

The Ventralex is made of layers of heavyweight polypropylene mesh attached to a sheet of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), with straps and a memory ring designed to help position the mesh during the hernia repair procedure. However, reports have linked the hernia mesh to incidents of crumpling inside the human body, as well as infections, adhesions, chronic inflammation, erosion, shrinkage, persistent pain and the need for surgical removal.

Thousands of similar hernia mesh lawsuits have been filed nationwide over the past decade against several medical implant companies. Despite the various manufacturers involved, each claim alleges that the defendants marketed, manufactured and distributed defective medical devices without adequately warning doctors or patients of the true risks.

Bard Ventralex Hernia Mesh Failure Allegations

According to the complaint Raymond underwent umbilical hernia repair in November 2011, at which time he was implanted with a Ventralex patch. However, problems arose in December 2024, when he began experiencing worsening pain.

Doctors determined that Raymond was suffering from an infected Ventralex hernia mesh, as well as a small bowel fistula, which is when a connection forms between the small intestine and another object, such as a hernia mesh.

According to the lawsuit, Raymond was taken to an operating room for emergency surgery, where doctors had to repair the hernia, remove the infected mesh and remove the dead necrotic tissue. They also had to resect 10 centimeters of his small bowel.

Upon removal, his doctors discovered that the mesh had crumpled and adhered to the small bowel. Additionally, the Ventralex had perforated the small bowel in two different places.

The lawsuit points to use of polypropylene in the mesh as a contributing factor to the device’s failure, noting that polypropylene is known to cause immune system reactions which can result in adhesions, infections, chronic pain and hernia recurrence.

“The polypropylene material has a propensity to degrade or fragment over time, causing chronic inflammatory and fibrotic reactions, and resulting in continuing injury over time as the polypropylene acts as a chronic trigger for inflammation.”

– Sean Raymond v. C.R. Bard Inc. et al.

Raymond raises allegations of inadequate warning, negligence, fraudulent concealment and breach of express warranty. He seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

C.R. Bard has faced more than 25,000 hernia mesh lawsuits involving several of its products, including the Ventralex, Ventralight, PerFix Plug and 3DMax systems. All involve similar claims that plaintiffs suffered infections, adhesions, recurrent hernias and surgical removal of the mesh due to its allegedly defective design.

Tens of thousands of claims were resolved by a Bard hernia mesh settlement reached in October 2025. However, that does not mean the company is clear of lawsuits. It will likely continue to face claims for years to come as hernia meshes already implanted in individuals nationwide fail and cause severe injuries.

All Bard hernia mesh lawsuits are consolidated in the Southern District of Ohio as part of a multidistrict litigation before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus.

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