“Do you want the good news or the bad news?” This is probably not a question you hope to hear from a doctor about to make a diagnosis.
“Okay, doc,” you respond. “Let’s get it out of the way. What’s the bad news?”
“You have an epigastric hernia in your abdomen that won’t heal on its own without surgery,” she says.
“And the silver lining?” you ask.
“When it comes to hernias, these ones often don’t cause any pain. In fact, they often aren’t reported because they often don’t present symptoms. They tend to be small and might seem unsightly, but otherwise, you may not notice you have one unless you suffer from complications.”
Learning that you have a “milder” type of hernia might make you think, “Well, it could be worse.” But for people who have become victims of defective epigastric hernia mesh, it has gotten worse.
In this blog post I outline some of the complications reported in cases of defective or faulty hernia mesh used to repair epigastric hernias and explain some legal options a victim or their loved ones may be able to use to get compensation and damages for the pain and suffering they have experienced.
What Are Epigastric Hernias?
If fat in the abdomen is able to push through a weak part of the linea alba or belly wall (between the breastbone and the navel or belly button) an epigastric hernia occurs. These hernias are often small and in about one in five cases a person will have more than one at a time.
While they are often asymptomatic, they do not heal on their own. Surgical repair may be recommended by your doctor if the hernia begins to cause you pain or discomfort or if there are concerns the hernia could grow and lead to other complications.
Defective Epigastric Hernia Mesh
Depending on the size of the hernia and the surgeon’s recommended treatment plan, hernia mesh products may be used to repair this condition.
Unfortunately, sometimes a patient will discover they have traded a hernia and its complications for a new set of problems and complications caused by faulty or defective mesh. Reported complications from defective mesh include:
- Infection at or near the surgical site (symptoms include high fever, discharge at the site, long-lasting pain or swelling, nausea/vomiting)
- Hernia recurrence
- Chronic pain
- Bowel obstruction
- Mesh migration in the abdomen or mesh shrinkage
- Adhesions
What Should You Do If You Experience Complications?
If you experience one of more of these symptoms or complications following hernia repair surgery (even weeks, months, or years after the surgery has taken place), it is important to seek prompt medical treatment. Unfortunately, if a defective mesh product is found to be the cause of these issues, remedial surgery or mesh removal is often required to attempt to correct the problem. Even if the mesh is removed, sometimes the damage to affected nerves and organs is permanent.
Do you remember learning about your initial epigastric hernia diagnosis and thinking how “It could be worse”? It is intensely frustrating to experience the pain and suffering from defective mesh complications and to realize that, yes, in fact it could be worse because now you know what worse feels like.
If you or a loved one are dealing with the medical consequences of defective hernia mesh, especially if you have had remedial surgery, you should be aware that you also may have legal options to seek compensation and damages from the manufacturers of this product. As a personal injury lawyer with experience handling medical product liability cases, I would be pleased to hear your story. With no obligation or commitment, I will explain some of the ways the legal system could help you to seek justice if you believe you’ve been harmed by the negligence of others.
To learn more about your legal rights and eligibility to participate in a mass tort action to obtain damages for pain and suffering, please contact hernia mesh lawyer Paul Miller at 416-646-3901 or by email at pmiller@hshlawyers.com.