HERNIA MESH LAWSUIT WHITEPAPER

About Hernia Mesh Lawsuit

A hernia mesh is a medical device that is implanted into the stomach or groin and is used to treat hernias by supporting weakened tissue.

More than 80% of hernia repairs performed in the United States used mesh products. However, with past years of use, it is being reported by numerous people the device is defectively designed and the manufacturers failed to warn medical providers.

In 2006 the recall of multiple lots of Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson, due to the coating on the polypropylene mesh deteriorating.

In 2012 the FDA issued a warning to ATRIUM for their C-QUR hernia mesh device, indicating that its manufacturing processes were not adequate to ensure the safety of the mesh.

In 2016 Ethicon issued another recall of Physiomesh because it was found to cause higher revision rates than other types of mesh.

Hernia Mesh Associated Injuries

Reported side effects from the use of hernia mesh include 

• Pain 
• Infection 
• Hernia recurrence 
• Perforation 
• Adhesion 
• Bowel obstruction 
• Mesh migration 
• Mesh shrinkage/contraction
• Bleeding
• Fistulas
• Seroma 
  

Hernia Mesh Status of Litigation

There are several MDLs and consolidated actions. 

• Bard, Southern District of Ohio
  2:18-md-2846 — IN RE: Davol, Inc./C.R. Bard, Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation
• Ethicon Physiomesh, Northern District of Georgia
  1:17-md-02782-RWS
  Honorable Richard W. Story, presiding
• Atrium Medical Corp., District of New Hampshir
  Case No: 16-md-2753 LM
  Presiding Judge: Hon. Landya B. McCafferty
• Covidien, Massachusetts consolidated action.
• Ethicon Proceed, Atlantic Co., NJ MCL
• Ethicon Prolene Hernia System, Atlantic Co., NJ MCL

Hernia Mesh Verdicts and Settlements

October 2021– Atrium defense verdict. 

September 2021– C.R. Bard defense verdict. 

July 2021– Atrium settled the first bellwether case before trial.

August 2010– C.R. Bard plaintiff verdict for $1.5M.

2010– C.R. Bard pays $184M to settle Kugel hernia mesh lawsuits (MDL closed in 2017).

There have been no other known settlements at this time.

Hernia Mesh Manufacturer

The manufacturers of hernia mesh devices currently involved in litigation are:

Atrium, C.R. Bard, Ethicon, and Covidien.