An Ethicon Physiomesh lawsuit is pending in New Jersey state court. An Arkansas woman filed the case on August 3, 2017, in Middlesex County, claiming that after she was implanted with the mesh, she suffered from serious injuries. The manufacturer, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, is headquartered in Somerville, New Jersey and in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The plaintiff seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.
Plaintiff Had to Have Ethicon Physiomesh Removed
According to the complaint, the plaintiff underwent a laparoscopic ventral umbilical hernia repair procedure on October 27, 2014. Her surgeon used Ethicon’s Physiomesh to reinforce the affected area and provide a lasting solution.
On or about May 28, 2015, the plaintiff had to undergo a second surgery to remove the Physiomesh. It had disconnected and tore, leaving fragments in the surrounding tissue, and resulted in a failure of the original repair. On that day, the surgeon implanted another mesh to again fix the hernia.
The plaintiff claims she has experienced and continues to experience pain in the lower part of her stomach, sores on her stomach, blisters, stinging, and the removal of her naval. All of these complications occurred after the implantation of the mesh. She blames the defendants for her injuries, and for the psychological trauma she’s suffered.
Physiomesh Products Recalled for High Rates of Recurrence
An umbilical hernia is one of the most common types of hernias, typically occurring when part of the bowel or fatty tissue pokes through an area near the belly button. The area of protrusion is usually a weak area that exists in the surrounding abdominal wall. These types of hernias are more common in women than in men, and show up as a bulge or swelling near the belly button. The bulge may become more visible when the person laughs or coughs.
Sometimes the hernia causes no symptoms, but other times it can cause pain and swelling. Surgery may be recommended to alleviate these symptoms or prevent additional complications. During the repair procedure, the doctor pushes the bulge back into place and then stitches muscle layers over the area to strengthen it. He or she has the option to use a piece of mesh, like Physiomesh, to reinforce the repair and help keep tissues and muscles in place.
Ethicon’s Physiomesh, however, was recalled back in May 2016. Recurrence and reoperation rates after laparoscopic repair were higher than the average rates for comparable meshes. The company released an urgent field safety notice to hospitals, surgeons, and medical centers warning them to stop using the products and to send any unused units back.
The plaintiff states in her complaint that other brands of mesh are safer and more effective than Physiomesh and notes that the FDA’s medical device reports database has documented instances of Physiomesh pulling away from the abdominal wall, embedding into the abdominal wall, and causing recurrent hernias and intestinal fistulas.
She brings counts of defective design and manufacture, failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranties, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment.
Exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs—especially in mass tort litigation—Roopal Luhana prides herself on providing unsurpassed professional legal services in pursuit of the specific goals of her clients and their families. While she handles complex cases nationwide on behalf of consumers, Ms. Luhana resides with her family in Brooklyn, New York.
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