C.R. Bard Faces Anew Vaginal Mesh Trial in West Virginia MDL

Pending the confirmation of the rescheduling of the hearing of the vaginal mesh lawsuit filed by Carolyn Jones against C.R. Bard, the last of the four bellwether cases against Bard scheduled in the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia will start on December 3, 2 013. It has been reported that this case may be moved to January 10, 2014.

Vaginal mesh lawsuits against C.R. Bard have been consolidated in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in a West Virginia court under the supervision of Judge Joseph Goodwin. As of November, 22, 2013, pending cases against this mesh manufacturer totaled 5,662.

Especially for C.R. Bard, mesh manufacturers have not fared well in trials resolved thus far. A jury in California found Bard liable for the injuries sustained by Christine Scott and ordered the company to pay $5.5 million in damages. Early this year, Linda Gross was awarded $11.1 million in damages after the jury found Ethicon responsible for the injuries suffered by the complainant.

Just this August, Bard was once again found guilty in the vaginal mesh lawsuit filed by Donna Cisson. A total of $2 million in compensatory and punitive damages was awarded to the plaintiff.

Read More: Final C.R. Bard Vaginal Mesh Bellwether Trial to Get Underway December 3

Pelvic Organ Repair for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a medical condition in which the supporting structures of the pelvic region becomes weakened. This may result to the bulging of the bladder, rectal, and uterine tissue into the vagina. The risk of this condition is greater in women who had undergone numerous vaginal birth and the risk increases after menopause. It is believed that pelvic floor , connective tissue disorder and obesity are factors that increase the risk of pelvic organ prolapse. 

However, it does not have harmful effects but it can affect your quality of life. The treatment recommended by the doctor to women with POP is usually the ones which do not involve surgery. However, if you are experiencing major discomfort or inconvenience, surgery is the only definitive way to relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life. 

If the advantages of surgery prevails the risks, then surgery may be an option for treating prolapse. It is estimated that one in 10 women will have had surgery for prolapse by the time they are 80 years old. The supporting tissue of the prolapsed organ or tissue surrounding the vagina is repaired through surgery. 

To improve the support of the pelvic organs is the goal surgical treatment for POP. Surgical treatment may necessitate stitching the prolapse organs into its original place, as well as stitching existing tissue to make it stronger. 

There are two ways in which the pelvic organ can be repaired: through the vagina or through incisions. It is usually carried out under general anaesthetic, so you will be asleep during the operation and will not feel any pain. Women undergoing pelvic organ repair may not encounter difficulty having children in the future. 

One of the implants commonly used to treat POP is transvaginal mesh. However, this surgical mesh may actually do more harm than good, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the FDA, implant, which is surgically inserted to treat POP, has caused about 3,000 report of complications. Lawsuits on vaginal mesh have been filed by women who has experienced complications, such as bleeding, infection and intense pain. 

References:

mayoclinic.org/pelvic-organ-prolapse/treatment.html

health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0805c.shtml

nhs.uk/Conditions/Prolapse-of-the-uterus/Pages/Treatment.aspx

http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iuga.org/resource/resmgr/brochures/eng_pop.pdf