Bard Ventralex Patch Lawsuit Claims Umbilical Hernia Mesh Failed, Requiring Removal Surgery

More than two dozen new Bard hernia mesh lawsuits have been filed since the company announced a massive settlement last year.

A Wisconsin man has brought a product liability lawsuit alleging that defects in C.R. Bard’s Ventralex Patch caused recurrent hernias, chronic abdominal pain and the need for revision surgery after the umbilical hernia mesh failed to perform as intended.

Chad Fonseca originally filed the complaint (PDF) in New Jersey Superior Court on May 13, naming C.R. Bard Inc. as the sole defendant. The case was subsequently removed to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey the next day.

Fonseca claims that C.R. Bard designed, manufactured and marketed the Ventralex Hernia Patch as a safe and effective treatment for umbilical hernias, despite longstanding evidence that polypropylene mesh can degrade, contract and trigger chronic inflammatory reactions.

He goes on to allege that the company obtained clearance to market the device through the FDA’s 510(k) process, which allows manufacturers to sell products deemed substantially equivalent to earlier devices without requiring clinical trials demonstrating safety or effectiveness.

Hernia Mesh Risks

Hernia mesh products are implantable medical devices used to reinforce weakened abdominal tissue and reduce the risk of hernia recurrence.

The Ventralex Hernia Patch consists 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 device during surgery. However, critics claim that polypropylene is not biologically inert and can provoke immune responses that lead to adhesions, infections, chronic inflammation, erosion, shrinkage and persistent pain, which may result in the need for surgical removal.

Fonseca’s Ventralex patch lawsuit joins thousands of hernia mesh complaints filed over the past decade, each alleging that manufacturers failed to adequately warn patients and physicians about the risks associated with polypropylene implants like the Ventralex system.

Umbilical Hernia Mesh Failure Allegations

According to the complaint, Fonseca underwent umbilical hernia repair surgery on July 23, 2019, at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center, where surgeons implanted a Bard Ventralex Hernia Patch.

Nearly six years later, on March 27, 2025, Fonseca required additional surgery at Westfields Hospital in New Richmond, Wisconsin, after his umbilical hernia recurred. During the procedure, surgeons found that the edge of the mesh had herniated and become adherent to the underside of his umbilical stalk, which is a part of the body anchored to the abdominal wall. The lawsuit indicates the device was completely removed and replaced with a new mesh implant.

Medical records cited in the complaint indicate that Fonseca continued to experience abdominal pain, tearing sensations and swelling following the revision procedure. He alleges that the umbilical hernia mesh caused permanent injuries, chronic pain, recurrent hernias and other complications that have impaired his daily activities and may require additional treatment in the future.

The Ventralex patch lawsuit contends Bard knew or should have known that its polypropylene hernia mesh products were prone to shrinkage, degradation, chronic inflammation, adhesions and hernia recurrence, yet failed to adequately test the devices or warn physicians and patients about the true risks.

“Defendant failed to provide warnings that would have dissuaded health care professionals from using their Hernia Mesh devices, including the Ventralex Hernia Patch, thus preventing health care professionals and consumers, including Plaintiff, from weighing the true risks against the benefits of using the products.”

— Chad Fonseca v. C.R. Bard Inc.

Fonseca raises allegations of strict liability—failure to warn. He seeks compensatory and punitive damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income and other economic and noneconomic losses.

Bard Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

Since 2018, C.R. Bard has been named in more than 25,000 hernia mesh lawsuits involving a range of products, including the Ventralex, Ventralight, PerFix Plug and 3DMax systems. Plaintiffs allege that design defects have caused chronic pain, infections, adhesions, recurrent hernias and the need for additional surgeries.

On October 2, 2025, Bard announced a sweeping settlement agreement intended to resolve tens of thousands of these claims, with compensation expected to be distributed over the next five to six years. However, because many patients still have Bard hernia mesh implants in place that have recently failed or may fail in the future, new lawsuits continue to be filed.

More than two dozen new Bard hernia mesh complaints have been submitted since the settlement was announced, indicating that while the agreement has significantly slowed the pace of new filings, the litigation continues to grow as additional individuals report complications associated with polypropylene mesh products sold over the last several decades.

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