Recent research suggests that the use of transvaginal mesh, also known as bladder sling, can be helpful in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

The study, published on September 19 by the New England Journal of Medicine, was conducted by Dutch researchers and suggests that bladder sling surgery as a first line of treatment for stress urinary incontinence may be better than physiotherapy.

Of the 230 women studied who underwent bladder sling surgery for SUI, roughly 91% showed improvement, while only 64% of the 230 women who underwent physiotherapy showed favorable results. The study did not compare the use of vaginal mesh to other surgical options.

Despite this evidence, many continue to question the safety of vaginal mesh.

Vaginal mesh has become the subject of intense scrutiny in recent months as women continue to come forward with serious and painful injuries after being implanted with the product to treat SUI or pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Many women have suffered infection or organ perforation after the mesh becomes embedded in their bodies.

In 2012, the FDA issued a letter to the makers of transvaginal mesh, mandating that they further evaluate the safety of these products and provide more information on whether they pose an unreasonably high risk to women. Many of these companies have stopped marketing the products to avoid investing in further research into their safety.

There are currently more than 25,000 vaginal mesh lawsuits pending in the United States, brought by women who claim they were not sufficiently warned about the risks associated with these products. If you or a woman you love has been injured after implantation with vaginal mesh, you could be entitled to compensation. To learn more, contact the law office of Melinda J. Helbock, A.P.C.