A hernia is a common condition that is treated, in many instances, through the use of surgical mesh.
However, plaintiffs in numerous pending lawsuits throughout the United States, have alleged that various types of surgical hernia mesh are defective and have caused grave injuries to patients, leading to extensive revision surgeries and treatments.
Complications related to hernia repair with surgical mesh have been reported to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and include;
- pain,
- infection,
- adhesion,
- obstruction, and
- bowel perforation.
Claims have been filed nationwide against various manufacturers and distributors of hernia mesh, including Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon (Physiomesh), Atrium (C-Qur), Bard/Davol, Medtronic, and Covidien.
Did you have hernia mesh surgery in PA? Did you have complications? Are you impacted by the hernia mesh recall?
What is Hernia Mesh?
A hernia occurs when an internal organ or other body part protrudes through the wall of muscle or tissue that normally contains it. Hernias can occur in different parts of the body and are described in a variety of ways, including inguinal, hiatal, umbilical, femoral and incisional. The surgical mesh used to repair hernias comes in different forms of sheets, patches and plugs. Hernia mesh is used to provide additional support to weakened or damaged tissue. Hernia mesh is often constructed from synthetic materials, which can be absorbable or non-absorbable. When non-absorbable hernia mesh is used, it is considered a permanent implant providing reinforcement to the repaired hernia. Absorbable mesh degrades over time and is not intended to be a permanent repair but instead to temporarily provide support while new tissue growth occurs.
Do I Have a Hernia Mesh Claim in PA?
If you have had a laparoscopic hernia mesh implant procedure in the state of Pennsylvania anytime between 2007 and 2016, and have suffered one or more of the following complications, you may be entitled to compensation.
- Adhesion
- Fistula
- Migration
- Bowel obstruction
- Organ perforation
- Infection
- Seroma
- Severe pain (documented in medical records)
- Revision/removal surgery
Have Hernia Mesh Recall Lawsuits Been Filed in Pennsylvania?
Numerous lawsuits across the nation, have been filed against the manufacturers of hernia mesh. Plaintiffs allege that the manufacturers should have warned patients – and their doctors – of the known potential defects in the devices and the side effects of hernia mesh implants. Further, many of these devices were subject merely to the FDA’s expedited approval process.
The claims against two of these manufacturers have already been consolidated into Multi-District Litigations (MDLs), which centralize pretrial activities for multiple cases to save time, court costs, and attorneys’ fees. Claims against Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon related to its Physiomesh products have been consolidated under MDL 2782, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia. Claims against Atrium over its C-Qur products have been consolidated under MDL 2753, U.S. District Court, District of New Hampshire.
Cases related specifically to Physiomesh assert that its multi-layer coating prevented adequate incorporation of the mesh, causing serious complications. Further, the mesh is allegedly insufficient to withstand normal abdominal forces, causing herniations through the mesh itself.
Cases related to the Atrium (C-Qur) hernia mesh assert that its fish oil gel coating caused complications, including detachment from the implanted device — resulting in adhesions and adherence to internal organs, among other complications. Plaintiffs allegedly experienced severe abdominal pain and a recurrence of the hernia, requiring surgery, and sometimes multiple surgeries, to remove the hernia mesh.
Cases related to Covidien hernia mesh, sold by C.R. Bard, Inc., assert that a resin-based plastic was used in Covidien’s hernia mesh implant. That plastic was the subject of a manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which was provided to OSHA to communicate that the plastic should not be used in medical applications involving implantation in the human body or contact with internal body fluids or tissues. The resin-based plastic rings used in these mesh devices are alleged to have caused perforations, pain, obstructions, and infections.
Are You Impacted by the Numerous Pending Hernia Mesh Lawsuits? You May Be Entitled to Compensation.
If you or a loved one have had hernia mesh implanted and suffered an injury, it is strongly recommended that you seek counsel experienced in hernia mesh claims and injuries.
Stark & Stark’s PA hernia mesh attorneys are actively seeking hernia mesh settlements and filing surgical mesh lawsuits against manufacturers on behalf of patients injured by these potentially defective devices.
Some types of surgical mesh have been pulled from the market, including Johnson & Johnson/Ethicon’s Physiomesh and Atrium’s C-Qur. If your surgery involved hernia mesh that has been recalled, or you are uncertain which type of surgical mesh was used in your surgery and have questions about your hernia repair, the hernia mesh attorneys at Stark & Stark can help you obtain that information from your surgeon or the facility where your surgery was performed.
Contact a PA Hernia Mesh Lawyer to Assess Your Claim.
Stark & Stark is committed to holding drug and medical device manufacturers liable when their products improperly endanger the public. Our hernia mesh lawyers are experienced in mass torts MDL litigation cases and in negotiating with medical device and pharmaceutical settlement representatives.
If you or a member of your family has suffered injuries from surgical hernia mesh, you may be entitled to compensation under the MDL litigation process or via settlement.
Please contact Stark & Stark to speak with one of the surgical mesh attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you may have and to help you understand the hernia mesh settlement and lawsuit process.
Stark and Stark practices in the state and federal courthouses throughout the state, including:
- Adams County (Gettysburg)
- Allegheny County (Pittsburgh)
- Armstrong County (Kittanning)
- Beaver County (Beaver)
- Bedford County (Bedford)
- Berks County (Reading)
- Blair County (Hollidaysburg)
- Bradford County (Towanda)
- Bucks County (Doylestown)
- Butler County (Butler)
- Cambria County (Ebensburg)
- Cameron County (Emporium)
- Carbon County (Jim Thorpe)
- Centre County (Bellefonte)
- Chester County (West Chester)
- Clarion County (Clarion)
- Clearfield County (Clearfield)
- Clinton County (Lock Haven)
- Columbia County (Bloomsburg)
- Crawford County (Meadville)
- Cumberland County (Carlisle)
- Dauphin County (Harrisburg)
- Delaware County (Media)
- Elk County (Ridgway)
- Erie County (Erie)
- Fayette County (Uniontown)
- Forest County (Tionesta)
- Franklin County (Chambersburg)
- Fulton County (McConnellsburg)
- Greene County (Waynesburg)
- Huntingdon County (Huntingdon)
- Indiana County (Indiana)
- Jefferson County (Brookville)
- Juniata County (Mifflintown)
- Lackawanna County (Scranton)
- Lancaster County (Lancaster)
- Lawrence County (New Castle)
- Lebanon County (Lebanon)
- Lehigh County (Allentown)
- Luzerne County (Wilkes-Barre)
- Lycoming County (Williamsport)
- McKean County (Smethport)
- Mercer County (Mercer)
- Mifflin County (Lewistown)
- Monroe County (Stroudsburg)
- Montgomery County (Norristown)
- Montour County (Danville)
- Northampton County (Easton)
- Northumberland County (Sunbury)
- Perry County (New Bloomfield)
- Philadelphia County (Philadelphia)
- Pike County (Milford)
- Potter County (Coudersport)
- Schuylkill County (Pottsville)
- Snyder County (Middleburg)
- Somerset County (Somerset)
- Sullivan County (Laporte)
- Susquehanna County (Montrose)
- Tioga County (Wellsboro)
- Union County (Lewisburg)
- Venango County (Franklin)
- Warren County (Warren)
- Washington County (Washington)
- Wayne County (Honesdale)
- Westmoreland County (Greensburg)
- Wyoming County (Tunkhannock)
- York County (York)
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, Easton)
- United States District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania (Scranton, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre)
Here is a list of New Jersey hospitals that may have performed the hernia mesh surgery, however this list is not all-inclusive.
Hospital | City | State |
Abington Memorial Hospital | Abington | PA |
Albert Einstein Medical Center | Philadelphia | PA |
Brandywine Hospital | Coatesville | PA |
Brookville Hospital | Brookville | PA |
Carlisle Regional Medical Center | Carlisle | PA |
Chester County Hospital | West Chester | PA |
Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center | Coatesville | PA |
Conemaugh Miners Medical Center | Hastings | PA |
Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital | Johnstown | PA |
Coordinated Health Orthopedic Hospital | Bethlehem | PA |
Eastern Regional Medical Center | Philadelphia | PA |
Easton Hospital | Easton | PA |
Ellwood City Hospital | Ellwood City | PA |
Ephrata Community Hospital | Ephrata | PA |
Excela Health Latrobe Hospital | Latrobe | PA |
Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital | Greensburg | PA |
Fulton County Medical Center | Mcconnellsburg | PA |
Geisinger Medical Center | Danville | PA |
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center | Wilkes-Barre | PA |
Good Shepherd Penn Partners Specialty Hospital At Rittenhouse | Philadelphia | PA |
Grove City Medical Center | Grove City | PA |
Hazleton General Hospital | Hazleton | PA |
Heart Of Lancaster Regional Medical Center | Lititz | PA |
Hospital Of The University Of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | PA |
J C Blair Memorial Hospital | Huntingdon | PA |
Jameson Memorial Hospital | New Castle | PA |
Jeanes Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Jennersville Regional Hospital | West Grove | PA |
Jersey Shore Hospital | Jersey Shore | PA |
Kane Community Hospital | Kane | PA |
Kensington Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Kindred Hospital – Wyoming Valley | Wilkes-Barre | PA |
Lancaster General Hospital | Lancaster | PA |
Lancaster Regional Medical Center | Lancaster | PA |
Lehigh Valley Hospital | Allentown | PA |
Lehigh Valley Hospital-17Th St | Allentown | PA |
Lewistown Hospital | Lewistown | PA |
Lifecare Hospitals Of Chester County | West Chester | PA |
Lock Haven Hospital | Lock Haven | PA |
Main Line Bryn Mawr Hospital | Bryn Mawr | PA |
Main Line Health Lankenau Medical Center | Wynnewood | PA |
Main Line Paoli Hospital | Paoli | PA |
Mercy Philadelphia Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Meyersdale Community Hospital | Meyersdale | PA |
Montrose General Hospital | Montrose | PA |
Muncy Valley Hospital | Muncy | PA |
Nazareth Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center | Philadelphia | PA |
Pennsylvania Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Phoenixville Hospital | Phoenixville | PA |
Physicians Care Surgical Hospital | Royersford | PA |
Pinnaclehealth Harrisburg Campus | Harrisburg | PA |
Punxsutawney Area Hospital | Punxsutawney | PA |
Reading Hospital & Medical Center | Reading | PA |
Regional Hospital Of Scranton | Scranton | PA |
Roxborough Memorial Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Sacred Heart Hospital | Allentown | PA |
Select Specialty Hospital Central Pennsylvania York | York | PA |
Select Specialty Hospital Johnstown | Johnstown | PA |
Select Specialty Hospital Laurel Highlands | Latrobe | PA |
Sharon Regional Health System | Sharon | PA |
Somerset Hospital | Somerset | PA |
Springfield Hospital | Springfield | PA |
St Joseph Medical Center | Reading | PA |
St Josephs Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Sunbury Community Hospital | Sunbury | PA |
Surgical Specialty Center At Coordinated Health | Allentown | PA |
Temple University Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
The Good Samaritan Hospital | Lebanon | PA |
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital | Philadelphia | PA |
Titusville Area Hospital | Titusville | PA |
Triumph Hospital Philadelphia | Philadelphia | PA |
UPMC East | Monroeville | PA |
Upmc Horizon | Greenville | PA |
UPMC Horizon – Shenango Valley | Farrell | PA |
UPMC Passavant | Cranberry | PA |
UPMC Shadyside | Pittsburgh | PA |
VA Medical Center – H.J. Heinz Campus | Pittsburgh | PA |
VA Medical Center – Lebanon | Lebanon | PA |
Va Medical Center – Philadelphia | Philadelphia | PA |
VA Medical Center – University Drive Campus | Pittsburgh | PA |
Washington Hospital | Washington | PA |
Westfield Hospital | Allentown | PA |
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital | Wilkes-Barre | PA |
Williamsport Regional Medical Center | Williamsport | PA |