Comments on: Hernia Patch Lawsuits: Claims reviewed for all Davol ring and dual-mesh hernia patches

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:59:21 +0000

I had a giant paraesphogical hernia repair done by laproscopy on May 6, 2009. I don’t know if they inserted mesh or not, but the whole thing ruptured and I nearly died and had to have massive invasive surgery to put my stomach back on August 1st. I don’t know if I have mesh inserted during either procedures. However, I do know of the excruiating pain that I was in and the risk of near dying. The second surgeon didn’t comment on the first surgeon’s work, (since it was the same hospital) but implied the first surgery wasn’t the way to go for this type of surgery.

How do I find out if I should join this class action suit.

By: Martha

Martha — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:57:16 +0000

I am in the same boat. I now know that there is no hope. I have just had my third surgery to repair what was messed up to begin with. It will never end.
I had a drainage tube break in half which lead to months of non-healing, infection and then hernia. Two attempts with mesh, the first one failed after 3 weeks, the second one failed after 3 months. In both cases, the mesh had “folded over” and bowel had stuck to it. The third attempt was to remove the mesh from the previous attempts (almost got all of it out) and then used bovine collagen to cause scarring to support it. The doctor, however, decided he was God and transplanted my bellybutton along with it. Why? Who the H___ knows. So, now I start over with the belly button site – not healing, open wound, drainage, infection, abscess. And he never told me that the amount of scar tissue formation would be so great that I would have lumps from IT. God save us from doctors.
And now – pain, pain, pain. Swelling, bloating, bowel problems, etc, etc. And the medical communities answer to why I have pain? Because of scarring. My God! That is what they were causing so in my mind, they had to know this would happen!
There are some things that I have learned –
First, when they use a mesh patch, they don’t close the openeing that allows the bowel through. They just “patch” it over with the mesh. From what I understand, they don’t even try to pull the edges of it together. Imagine if we repaired clothes or upholstery in that manner. The stress continues and it just tears more past the repair.
Second, anytime that some foreign substance is placed inside of you, you will have a reaction to it. That is in fact one of the ways that the mesh works. It stimulates the body to produce scar tissue. The scar tissue is supposed to provide the support. The mesh never dissolves, however, so the inflammation continues on.
I don’t know the answers but I am definitely intimate with the problem.

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:24:36 +0000

My 81 yo father has a defective Kugel mesh patch (Davol) whose ring is broken; surgeon has tried twice out-patient to remove the ring but only got ~3″ of it; he feels the entire thing needs replacing. From everything I’ve read, he may be right – but I’m hoping some other doc has been able to remove just the ring. If this is similar to your story

By: cindy

cindy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:07:15 +0000

I had double hernia surgery Sept 2006 I had a pieces of Composix EX mesh

everyone continues telling me they are not recalled I had surgeon tell me he was removing ring I would be in hosp over night with laproscopic I ended up with 5 hours of surgery resection done to colon & another hernia in tummy where he cut in the mesh I layed with blood transfussions in intensive care 4.5 days total of nearly 9 days doctor would not answer any questions I am in so much pain feels like it is inside me cutting me up I seen another surgeon he told us probably would die on table surgery would be 7 to 8 hours to try remove & then have a plastic surgeon rebuild all the damages inside pain is so bad days just want to die so no more pain but I do have family needs me & i need them I wish all you hope but what I have seen lets me depressed Take care .

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:20:21 +0000

I had a left inguinal hernia repair patch put in June 2009, the pain isnt bad but I get pulling feeling in my stomach, just doesnt feel like this is going to work and I want it removed but dont know what to do. I get prickly sensations and pulling on my veins. I had no problems with a right repair with no mesh 15 years ago. This doctor gave me bad advice on the mesh I think, he said at my age, 48, that it was less likely to reoccur. I dont know if I should contact a lawyer or new doctor. Also I had an incision to remove a suture knot that was protuding into my skin and there is another one still, that lasted a half an hour while he dug at me while I was awake. I definitely think this decision about the patch has changed my life forever.

By: Brannon

Brannon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:31:50 +0000

Pain have you ever felt like you had your testical in a vice or something like that! Everyonce in awhile it feels as if something goes from the right testical up in to my stomach on the right side and it is moving rolling grabbing me. Doctor’s want to look for everything else not that I had a bad hernia repair. Oh yea I had another repair by the same Dr. but they avoided the first surgical site.

Well I am so thrilled they wanted to avoid the first site; and my question is it possible the DR. could see what the mesh was doing to me and didn’t really want to tell me. How would You feel telling Your Wife Oh it feel’s So Good but Baby it Feel’s so very bad it’s not even funny. I am a very fortunate man and have a very Understanding wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. maybe this explain’s why we have had three miscariage’s.

By: Martha

Martha — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:42:35 +0000

My husband is laying in a hospital bed right now trying to recover from a very painful laproscopic surgery for what you all are talking about. His intestines adhered to the mesh patch causing a blockage. They HOPE it won’t happen again. I’m not even believing this. He is in so much pain and discomfort from this fix up surgery. His symptoms were pain in his side and then throwing up for 5 days (we thought he had a stomach virus) and unable to have bowel movement. When he went to the doctor on Tuesday they admitted him into the hospital that night and operated on Thursday. His recovery is not going well at all. He still can’t hold food down. I feel disheartened and he just feels horrible.

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:45:02 +0000

oops the colon resection was dec 2007 the hernia repair was fall of 2005.

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:43:44 +0000

I had imbilical hernia repair in Dec 2007, when I had a resection of my colon done because of polyps they found my intestines adhered to the mesh-I had been axperiencing a feeling of bruising on the left side of my stomack. I have that same feeling again-will be calling my doctor Tues to get to the bottom of this.

By: wheeler

wheeler — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:16:35 +0000

i know they messed my life up,with defective products!

By: wheeler

wheeler — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:15:07 +0000

i had surgery on 1/12/05 a charite disc put in on 2/05 i had a big baseball size lump come up in my stomach,i called my doc vargus and they said it was nothing they done and would not see me,time went on and it got bigger and hurt worse ,i had an appt.in june to see, my other doc and when he saw it he said you better see vargus,at the end of june he saw me and asked me what did you do to your stomach,i told him,i called in feb,so he said he was going on vacation and would fix me on july 8th.when i went in he told my wife he did not know it was that bad!! he also said l was the worse paitent he has ever worked on and was glad to be rid of me!!sarasota memorial hosp. 3 surgeries there and 1 in doctors hosp. withen 9 months!!

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:44:52 +0000

I had 3 hernias repaired in Feb 2007. (both groins & belly button) I am experiencing occasional burning and discomfort in my right groin. I also have something poking out from my belly button like a toothpick. This can be jolting at times and almost feels like it may peirce through my skin. I thought I might be experiencing ring failure as some patches have been recalled. I returned to the doctor who performed the surgery who is telling me the protrusion at my bellly button is a stitch. He says he can remove and install a “softer” patch. Who wants to go through all that again? I am trying to determine exactly which patches were used. The doc says they were Bard Ventralex patches. To be continued……

By: Carolina

Carolina — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:00:49 +0000

A mesh was used to repair a hernia on my right side. i was miserable as soon as the anesthesia wore off. I spend a miserable weekend at home, had to resort to a bed pan because I could not walk to the bathroom without experiencing excruciating pain. At the hospital, I was told there was nothing wrong, I was directed me home – but I refused to go because of the pain. I was hospitalized for 2 1/2 days. The surgeon did not believe I was experiencing the level of pain I had until he saw me trying to walk to the bathroom while in the hospital. Nothing was ever resolved though. Today, I cannot be initimate with my husband without experiencing pain. i can only sleep in a certain position to avoid pain. I have trouble with bowel movements at times due to the pain. I cannot sit, exercise or play with the children like before – without pain.This repair has been nothing but pain. I want the mesh removed but my PCP says that nothing can be done for me.

By: angela

angela — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:42:58 +0000

i had ventral hernia surgery in 2008 since then i have had nothing but pain. i have lower back pain bad abdominal pain. trouble with my bowels and dizzy spells. i always feel light headed and never just feel good. i have been to the er 4 or 5 times and to see my surgeon 3 or 4. he is referring me to get a second opinion which i think is useless because they havent given me anything to go on. if anyone knows anything please tell. i dont know which patch they used but i had a very large hernia.