Hernia patch and other mesh implants pose problems

October 2nd, 2008 by Kurt Niland

We live in a time when ultramodern technology permeates every aspect of our lives at blistering speeds. Nearly every day we hear of yet another advancement that promises to better our lives in some way. Medicine and medical technologies, such as the Kugel Mesh Patch used to treat hernias, stand on the forefront of medicine’s quantum push forward. Manufactured by Devol, Inc., the Kugel Patch consists of a circle or oval of that is surrounded by a plastic ring. The device is engineered and folded so that it may be surgically inserted into a small incision. Once in place, the patch unfolds and expands and the abdominal wall is reinforced.

If all goes well, the patient may consider his fixed and go about living life normally. For many patients, however, the medical miracle goes awry. The plastic “memory recoil ring” sometimes fractures, causing bowel perforations or abnormal connections between the intestines and other organs known as fistulae. The damage not only causes severe pain, it can also lead to additional medical complications and death.

While the Kugel Patches have been recalled, doctors are finding other problems arising from medical devices and implants. Boston Scientific manufactures aortic and carotid stents with , but the surgical insertion tip sometimes detaches during surgery. The FDA requested a of the company’s defective stents and stent delivery system.

is also a component in a couple products that are used in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Specifically, Mentor Corporation’s ObTape may disintegrate inside the body and lead to a multitude of adverse events.

The FDA advises patients to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms that could be associated with any of the recalled hernia patch devices. Ring breakage can cause inexplicable and / or persistent abdominal pain, fever, tenderness at the implant site and any other unusual symptoms.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Krishnan

    Hi

    My Mom (82 years old) has Hernia. I asked the doctor about inserting stent. Doctor warned me there is high probability stent will be infected and cause more problems. Please let me know your views.

    Thanks

    Krishnan Ganapathy

  • clock_under_ground

    Hi,'
    It's funny; I also been having symtoms; I've, visit doc. of pain and unexplain/
    of such, of a mesh I have and is going to look more into.
    Sometimes I think I may have, cancer; the way I feel,-hopefully not.
    I've been having adbonal hernias' since 1983 and more often, since
    a cycerian in 2002.
    I'm very concern, about this recall.
    Surgen, would rather/ recomend a other problem, not hernia related.
    Uncertain/ in Co.

  • kami

    I have been suffering tingling in left legs mainly left leg since patch was placed for hernia last summer. Any connection?

  • tinbender

    I was wondering when this patch started being available, my husband had surgery for his hernia and they inserted a mesh but I don't know if it was this one with the ring. His surgery was about seven or eight years ago. I guess I will have to get his records but this makes me very nervous. His stomach is quiet large and we have been dieting for 6 months and it hasn't gone down as much as we thought. Gosh…..this is scary… he says he doesn't feel anything, Thank God. This is quite upsetting, I found out about this by accident. I received a spam email today. Thank God I received it. Anyway any help would be appreciated. I hope everyone that has written in will be fine. God Bless you all….

  • mari

    I had a large mesh implanted in the late 1990's and had an infection immediately following – but they go it under control quickly.

    Last fall, I had a severe bout – a week – of stabbing pains across the lower abdoman, accompanied with bloating and a blockage in my intestines…I could hardly walk and was in bed for days. I couldn't convince my doctor is was NOT constipation –
    3 months ago, I had another bout – not as severe as the first, as I have been taking stool softeners whenever I started to feel like thngs were getting hung up. They took Xrays, which were inconclusive.

    This past week, I had another attack – which laid me up for 4 days – I have a new doctor and he had ordered a colonoscopy (sp?) – I do know I have weak bowel linings as I have a large protrusion from my intestines into my vagina cavity – it gets larger in conjunction with the bouts of pain –
    I wonder if the mesh – a large one – that I had placed in the 90's would be involved?
    I haven't been able to find the date when these Kugal meshes were first used?

  • dave

    I went in for severe abdominal pain and the first time I was told I was constipated, go home use a fleet and dont worry about it. 2 days later I was in a coma because I had burst my colon. I was NOT constipated. Using the fleet put 2 quarts of fecal matter in my organs. The doctor in ER was flirting with a nurse and wasnt paying attention to me.

    Lesson learned: Dont settle. Get the treatment you want. This is important stuff, make sure your heard. Mine just got worse. Since they were at a loss why I was in so much pain so they assumed I was oding on cocaine. This was put in my records several times. I wasnt, they just screwed up again. Still gets worse. I had sepsis. BAD!!!!!

    I wasnt supposed to live. I was comatose for over a month. I found out I was left to suffer because they thought everything was drug induced. Yea, Norco, Soma and Nicotine. No one bothered to ask my housemate who was right there. Like I say it got worse. I am allergic to PCN and sulpha products. Of course the hospital was using sulpha based drugs to help with the infection. I was also being starved to death. Once all this was fixed, I was up and out of there in 12 days. I spent somewhere around 65 days in the hospital.

    Make sure you are satisfied with your care!!!

  • http://www.beasleyallen.com BeasleyAllen

    Hello Dave,

    Thank you so much for sharing your story! It is frightening how quickly
    something that might seem simple can escalate. You are right to advise
    people not to be afraid to ask questions when it comes to their health,
    and to insist on being heard. It is important not to rush decisions that
    deal with your health! We appreciate your time in talking about your
    experiences in hopes it will help someone else down the line!

    Sincerely,

    Wendi L. Lewis
    Communications Director
    Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

  • heather

    i had a ingronial hernia in june 2007 mesh was used but it was so fast i dont what was used it was done at the emergency room in oregon the hospital wont give me my records as to what they used since than i have experienced diverticlosis twice and dignosed with lots of ulcers i would like more info please can someone help me figure this out tired of the discomfert

  • heather

    i had a ingronial hernia in june 2007 mesh was used but it was so fast i dont what was used it was done at the emergency room in oregon the hospital wont give me my records as to what they used since than i have experienced diverticlosis twice and dignosed with lots of ulcers i would like more info please can someone help me figure this out tired of the discomfert

  • Wandaabrahamsen

    i too have had all this problems i had 4 hernia operations my first one was the kugl mesh patch that was recalled. i have had diverticlos two time 3 bowl obstrutions i even worn home a cathater for a week its been hell all of this the hospitals have too give your record or they can be suit. when you ask for records tell them you want the hernia patch number and info on that. good luck

  • Wandaabrahamsen

    you may find out by requesting his medical records ask for the mesh patch size number and what kind was put inside of him. the patch that i had was the kugle mesh patch the large one. not only did i have that surgery but 3 more after that one. god bless every one

  • Wandaabrahamsen

    hi the patch was called the kugle mesh patch large ovel one the date of my surgery was 2004 then i had 3 other surgery because of that i think it goes back to 2002 you may fine info in your medical records just what patch you have inside of you size and shape. good luck

  • Joe_stenny

    I had a mesh screen put in my groin to make.sure I didn’t get blood clots I don’t what what kind but I had trouble urinateing and pain a bunch of times went to the hospital and they said it was nothing then I read this and it makes me wonder if I should have them remove the screen now

  • Guitarharry

    I had a mesh implant back in 1989 and I have never been the same since I had no idea this was going on until now! I had a hernia and the doctor told me that he has a mesh and that it is a new procedure and after it was done I was in pain for weeks and it never seem to go away, every doctor that seen my hernia incision said they never seen a hernia scar like mine.
    2 years ago I had blood come out from my penis and the doctors never understood why it happened, and after that I developed severe prostatitis that never goes away.

  • Brandon

    More likely it was an inguinal hernia… and you probably experienced diverticulosis, which lead to your discomfort and diagnosis.  Does that help?

  • H Vette

    I have had 2 hernia surgeries, one was around 1996 and the last one in 1998. The second surgery was done at the same time my c section was done. The doctor said I had an abdominal obstruction, the lining of my stomach was ripped from the rib cage down and he said he didn’t even know what they had put in me. I was in surgery for 6 hrs and developed a pulmonary embolism. I have abdominal pains bad. A lot of which are like charlie horses you get in your legs but I get them in my stomach. And knots form that I have to stretch back and rub until they go down. Also the top part of my stomach is very large, it’s like I have the spare tire even when I don’t have anything on.

  • Mjpowell

    I have had hernia surgery in March 2009. The doctor used mesh to repair my inguinal hernia. I take stool softeners daily. My abdomen is swollen compared to how it was before the surgery. Constant bloating and of-course constipation. I recently went to the surgeon who performed the surgery, he stated “looks like your hernia has returned,” I responded like duh? The surgeon stated looks like we need to replace the smaller piece of mesh with a larger piece of mesh, laproascopticaly  

  • Keith Kellum

    i had a double hernia operation they used the mesh its been a year and three months i had to be treated for infectin twice and i still have alot of pain and swelling ‘my doctor said i must of done something to cause the swelling ‘ but i am disabled and can not work .i think they are trying to cover it up what should i do? yours truly swollen and in pain.

  • Marce

    MY HUSBAND HAS HAD TWO HERNIA OPERATIONS AND HAD THE MESH IMPLANT PUT IN AND HAS THE SAME HERNIA RUPTURED AGAIN TODAY……WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I DO????

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