Parietex hernia mesh comes in many varieties for many types of hernia repair. It is made by Covidien, a subsidiary of Medtronic. The first Parietex hernia mesh product hit the market in 1999. Although no Parietex hernia mesh products have been recalled in the U.S., many of the products are known to cause serious complications, as evidenced by adverse event reports made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Parietex Hernia Mesh Injuries
Certain types of injuries are more common with certain Parietex hernia mesh products. In general, Paietex hernia mesh can cause complication including:
- Severe pain and infections
- Hernia recurrence
- Adhesion of mesh to body parts
- Bowel obstruction
- Bowel perforation
- Severe inflammatory response
- Revision surgery that is more invasive and cause further damage to an already weakened part of the body
Parietex Hernia Mesh Defects
Numerous brands of hernia mesh products are known to cause serious complications. Some of the problems with Parietex are problems that are common to hernia mesh products in general. However, Parietex has some unique issues.
- Polyester and inflammatory response. Many Parietex hernia mesh products are made from polyester, rather than the standard polypropylene. Both materials can cause an inflammatory response, but polyester tends to cause a more severe inflammatory response. To work around this problem, a coating has been added to some Parietex products but the coatings can also cause severe inflammatory response and other complications.
- Flimsy material. Polyester mesh is also flimsier than it its polypropylene counterparts, making it more difficult for surgeons to work with during placement.
- Edges are not sealed. In many Parietex hernia mesh products the edges are not sealed. This makes them prone to fraying and unravelling after they are placed. Fraying and unravelling can lead to tearing of the patch and hernia recurrence. The unsealed edges themselves can perforate bodily organs, such as the bowel.
Delayed Detection of Complications
Hernia repair complications can occur during or immediately after surgery. But, hernia mesh complications can also take months or years to surface.
In some cases, the complication itself does not occur until time passes and the device fails over time. When that happens, patients and their doctors may not make the connection between the symptoms and the hernia surgery and precious time can be wasted treating the wrong problem or problems. Infections can take a very long time to show symptoms, progressing and getting harder to treat in the meantime.
If you have been harmed by Parietex hernia mesh, or any type of hernia mesh, please talk to an experienced defective medical device attorney right away to learn more about your rights and potential compensation.
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