Have You Been Affected by the Ethicon Physiomesh Recall?
On May 25, 2016, Ethicon pulled its abdominal hernia repair product, Physiomesh, from the markets. They instructed surgeons to discontinue its use after reports suggested high rates of complications. While Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, says that the market withdrawal is not an “official” recall, a number of lawsuits against the drug manufacturer have been filed. Ethicon has been the center of controversy for years because of its defective transvaginal mesh products, which are made from polypropylene, the same material as Physiomesh.
Physiomesh complications
Surgeons used Physiomesh from April 2010 to May 2016 after it was cleared for use under the FDA’s 510(k) process, which allows companies to bypass clinical trials that test for efficacy and safety. Since it was pulled from the market, studies have come out to report the polypropylene in Physiomesh could break down in structure and attach to internal organs. These failings have led to complications, including:
- Hernia recurrences
- Bacterial infection
- Swelling at the surgery site
- Development of abscesses
- Bowel obstructions
- Seromas
- Mesh failures
- Pain
- Vomiting/nausea
Many of these repercussions require additional care, and could require a second corrective surgery.
Obtaining legal justice against Ethicon
Patients who believe they have been harmed by Ethicon’s Physiomesh should first contact their doctor and see what corrective measures need to be taken. If you had any sort of hernia surgery between 2010 and 2016, you may want to follow up with your surgeon and medical team, just in case. Ethicon should send you a letter telling you about the defective device market withdrawal, but they may have failed to do so.
If you do, in fact, have Physiomesh in your body, check your product code here. That will identify the specific type of mesh that was implanted.
To review your legal options, contact the savvy product liability legal team at Harris Lowry Manton LLP at 404-961-7650 for our Atlanta office or call 912-651-9967 for our Savannah office. You can also fill out our contact form. If you have been harmed by Ethicon’s Physiomesh, we are here to ensure you receive the best legal remedies available.
Harris Lowry Manton LLP is a dedicated full-service trial law firm. Our Georgia personal injury lawyers fight for the injured throughout every step of the legal process. We explain how litigation works from the moment you come into one of our offices in Atlanta or Savannah until your case is solved. Our legal team has achieved remarkable success because we leave no stone unturned when investigating our client’ claims and what should have been done to prevent their injuries. We file claims against all responsible parties — not just the most obvious one.
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