Bladder and vaginal mesh complications include mesh erosion through vaginal tissue, chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, recurring urinary tract infections, urinary retention or incontinence, and bladder or bowel perforation. Many require multiple revision surgeries because embedded mesh is difficult to remove completely.
Erosion and exposure
The most frequently reported complication is erosion, where the mesh works its way through the vaginal wall or into the bladder or urethra. Women describe unexplained bleeding, discharge, a sensation of something sharp, or a partner who can feel the mesh.
Contraction and chronic pain
Mesh can contract as scar tissue forms around it, tightening and distorting the surrounding tissue. The result is chronic pelvic pain, pain on sitting, and pain with intercourse that often does not respond to conventional treatment.
Urinary and infectious complications
- Recurring urinary tract infections that clear and return
- Difficulty emptying the bladder, or urinary retention
- Incontinence that is worse than before the implant
- Persistent pelvic infection
Why removal is hard
Mesh is designed to be colonised by tissue so it stays where it is placed. That is exactly what makes it difficult to take out. Tissue grows through the pores, and a surgeon attempting removal is dissecting mesh away from structures it has become part of.
Complete removal frequently requires a specialist and sometimes several operations. Partial removal can leave symptomatic fragments behind. This is a substantial part of why these claims are valued the way they are.
This article is general information about active litigation and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines, eligibility criteria, and procedural posture change; confirm anything you rely on with a licensed attorney in your state.