Johnson & Johnson plans to stop selling surgical mesh implants used to treat women’s health problems. The surgical mesh implants have been linked to serious injuries. J&J sent a letter Monday to judges in New Jersey and West Virginia who are presiding over certain patient lawsuits against the company. J&J said it plans to phase out four mesh products over the next three to nine months.
The plastic mesh is used to strengthen the pelvic wall in cases of pelvic organ prolapse, in which the bladder or other reproductive organs slip down into the vagina. About 75,000 women had prolapse surgery with mesh inserted through the vagina last year. A similar procedure using an incision in the abdomen is less common.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported last year that the implants were associated with higher rates of pain, bleeding and infection than traditional surgery with stitches. The agency said 10% of women experienced erosion or exposure of the mesh within 12 months of having the mesh implanted. More than half of these women required follow-up surgery to remove the mesh. Some required three surgeries. Furthermore, the FDA said it saw no evidence that using mesh led to better outcomes than traditional surgery with stitches. These injuries, complications and additional surgeries have triggered hundreds of lawsuits.
The attorneys at Sabatini and Associates, LLC are representing women injured by surgical mesh implants and are presently accepting new clients for mesh implant claims
