Surgical Hernia Mesh Linked to Several Scary Health Complications

Surgical mesh complications can be extremely severe – and even life threatening in some instances. Thousands of people undergoing hernia surgery have developed problems that have needed several more surgeries to fix and have required weeks of hospitalization. Pain, insomnia and fatigue are common, but so are the much more serious surgical hernia mesh complications such as device erosion, nerve damage and hernia recurrence. Here’s some further information on some of the more severe complications that have been reported.

Device Erosion

Erosion is one of the most serious surgical hernia mesh complications. Many procedures involve placing mesh inside the abdominal cavity in order to support the area of the body where the hernia has occurred. However, this can lead to the mesh becoming attached to a portion of the bowels, causing a kink in the intestine and a potentially dangerous blockage. In many instances, the problem can become so serious that hernia mesh removal may be necessary. There have also been cases reported of mesh eroding through the intestinal wall, resulting in bowel leakage.

Nerve Damage

Just about any operation can result in nerve damage, but this is typically only a temporary side effect. When a surgery involves a defective surgical hernia mesh, however, the damage can be extensive and lead to excruciating pain. Some people have experienced nerve entrapment due to a mesh that has migrated from its original spot, requiring further surgery to free the nerve and provide relief to the patient.

Hernia Recurrence

There are some instances where a hernia mesh simply fails, requiring another surgery to fix the original problem. The mesh may migrate or shrink, leading to other surgeries that are often times even more challenging than the first.