Hernia Mesh Failure Lawsuit Alleges ProGrip Implant Was Prone to Breaking and Fragmenting

Lawsuit alleges brittle polyester fibers used in ProGrip hernia mesh can deteriorate and fragment after implantation, increasing the risk of device failure and painful complications.

A California man has filed a hernia mesh failure lawsuit alleging a Covidien ProGrip implant used to repair an inguinal hernia contained design defects that left it prone to breaking apart and losing strength inside the body.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Jon R. Turner Jr. in Massachusetts Superior Court on July 27, naming Covidien LP and Sofradim Corp. as defendants.

Turner claims the polyester used to manufacture ProGrip is too brittle for permanent implantation and can develop fatigue fractures under repeated stress. He also alleges the device’s resorbable microgrips can cause an excessive inflammatory response as they dissolve.

ProGrip Hernia Mesh Problems

ProGrip is a self-fixating hernia mesh designed to reinforce weakened tissue following hernia repair surgery. Rather than relying entirely on sutures or surgical tacks, the implant uses thousands of small, resorbable microgrips to attach the mesh to surrounding tissue.

However, patients have reported complications involving both the mesh and the body’s response to the implant. Potential problems may include chronic pain, infection, inflammation, fluid buildup, tissue contraction and recurrent hernias, as well as movement, deformation or attachment of the mesh to nearby tissue.

When these complications become severe, patients may require additional surgery to remove or replace the implant. Revision procedures can be particularly difficult once the mesh has become incorporated into surrounding tissue, increasing the risk of damage to healthy tissue during removal.

Similar concerns have led to tens of thousands of hernia mesh lawsuits against Covidien and other manufacturers, with plaintiffs alleging various implants were made with defective materials or designs that allowed the mesh to shrink, migrate, buckle, break apart or adhere to nearby organs and tissue.

ProGrip Mesh Failure Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, Turner received a ProGrip implant during surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. His surgeon allegedly followed the manufacturers’ instructions and accepted standards of medical care, but the mesh later failed.

Turner attributes that failure in part to the polyethylene terephthalate, or polyester, used to manufacture the implant. The complaint alleges the material is more vulnerable to fatigue fractures and other mechanical problems than alternative polymers available for permanent hernia mesh products.

To support those claims, the lawsuit cites scientific literature that has raised concerns about the long-term durability of polyester inside the body. Turner maintains the material may gradually lose strength, while the ultrathin fibers used in ProGrip can be damaged during implantation or break along the edges of the mesh.

Fragments released from the implant may then migrate into surrounding tissue and become difficult for surgeons to locate or remove. According to the complaint, those particles can trigger a foreign-body response and damage tissue around the hernia repair.

Separate concerns are raised about the polylactic acid microgrips used to hold ProGrip in place. As the grips dissolve, Turner alleges they may contribute to pain, infection, delayed healing, fluid buildup and tissue contraction.

Based on these alleged risks, the lawsuit maintains that safer alternative designs were available that could have reduced the likelihood and severity of Turner’s injuries.

“At each of the times the ProGrip product was implanted in Plaintiff, there were safer feasible alternative designs for hernia mesh products that would have reduced the likelihood, severity, frequency and duration of the injuries Plaintiff suffered.”

— Jon R. Turner Jr. v. Covidien LP et al.

Turner alleges Covidien and Sofradim failed to adequately test ProGrip or warn surgeons about the durability of its polyester fibers and the potential effects of the degrading microgrips.

He also claims the manufacturers promoted the device as providing immediate, tension-free fixation and reduced pain compared with traditional repair methods, and did not adequately disclose its risks.

The lawsuit presents claims for defective design, failure to warn, negligence and punitive damages. Turner seeks compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering and other losses allegedly caused by the failed implant.

Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

In addition to Turner’s complaint, Covidien currently faces more than 2,400 hernia mesh lawsuits involving several different products, with plaintiffs alleging the implants can cause serious complications such as adhesions, infections, bowel injuries and recurrent hernias, often requiring additional surgery.

Federal claims have been consolidated before U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris in the District of Massachusetts, where the first bellwether trial is underway. The verdict may help the parties evaluate how juries are likely to respond to similar evidence and allegations presented in other pending cases.

In addition to lawsuits against Covidien, C.R. Bard currently faces more than 23,000 hernia mesh lawsuits over implants that allegedly degraded, migrated, contracted or became attached to surrounding organs after surgery. Plaintiffs allege the company did not sufficiently test its polypropylene mesh products or adequately warn patients and surgeons that the implants could cause painful complications requiring additional surgery.

Bard agreed to a hernia mesh settlement in October 2025 that was expected to resolve a large number of pending claims. However, patients may continue to file new lawsuits if they were not covered by the agreement, including individuals who only recently developed complications or experienced mesh failures years after their original hernia repair.

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