Covidien Parietex Lawsuit Filed Over Failure To Warn About Hernia Mesh Risks

According to allegations raised in a recently filed product liability lawsuit, Covidien Parietex hernia mesh migrated out of place inside of a man’s abdomen, resulting in severe complications and pain, as well as repeated surgeries due to a defective design of the hernia mesh.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Gary Northrup in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on February 21, alleging that he has been left with permanent injuries, even after the Parietex mesh failed and had to be removed.

The lawsuit indicates that Covidien, L.P. and Medtronic, Inc. manufactured and sold a defective and unreasonably dangerous product for hernia repairs, which has also been linked to similar hernia mesh complications in claims being pursued by individuals throughout the U.S.

Northrup indicates that he underwent laparoscopic ventral hernia repair in September 2013, at which time he was implanted with a Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh, and a Parietex Hydrophilic Anatomical Mesh. However, after the surgery, Northrup continued to suffer abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation and bowel obstructions.

His pain and complications resulted in multiple trips to the emergency room, and pain treatments that involved powerful narcotics. However, the problems continued for several years. Finally, following numerous procedures, his doctor decided in March 2018 that the Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh was the problem and had to be removed.

During the removal surgery, his surgeon discovered that the mesh had migrated, moving Northrup’s bowels with them, resulting in chronically inflamed adhesions. However, even after the removal of the Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh, Northrup continues to suffer severe abdominal pain and other complications, the lawsuit indicates.

Covidien Parietex is a two-sided hernia mesh, which is commonly used during certain ventral hernia repairs. The composite mesh is coated with a protective, absorbable collagen barrier that is intended to prevent tissue attachment. However, the lawsuit alleges this barrier and other design elements actually result in a high rate of failure and hernia mesh complications.

The complaint raises claims similar to those presented in a number of other Covidien Parietex hernia mesh lawsuits being pursued by individuals who have experienced problems associated with the design.

“Defendants claim that the Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh incites true tissue integration rather than inflammatory encapsulation and is optimized to minimize shrinkage. However, the composition of polyester in the Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh is weak,” the lawsuit states. “It tears easily during handling and is known to unravel causing the polyester fibers to detach and travel to other parts of the body inciting an inflammatory response. Parietex Optimized Composite Mesh further contracts over time causing tension to increase where secured by tacks and sutures resulting in tearing.”

In addition to claims over problems with Parietex mesh, there are also a number of Bard hernia mesh lawsuits, Atrium C-Qur lawsuits and Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuits pending nationwide, leading to the federal court system to establish three separate centralized pretrial proceedings for litigation involving those products. However, there is currently no consolidated proceeding for the Covidien Parietex lawsuits.