Call for ban on Mesh Implant supported by Corries

A ban on vaginal mesh impant operations in the UK may happen soon and could have a huge impact. This massive change may affect thousands.

NICE – Vaginal Mesh Ban

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have drafted new guidelines. Most noteworthy is the recommendation that vaginal mesh should be banned from treating organ prolapse in routine surgery. It is hoped that the NHS will take up this recommendation.

Following wide research NICE have found serious and life changing consequences following surgery. These could affect the 92,000 women who had vagina mesh implants between April 2007 to March 2015. Of this about 1 in 11 have experienced problems.

The NICE document show that there were no benefits of using mesh compared with native tissue repair.

Vaginal Mesh – the call for change and a Registry

The University of Oxford’s Professor Carl Heneghan has said that the NICE guidelines were an admission that the health services had got this wrong. He had called for earlier action and called this a “catastrophe”. The delay in getting to the bottom of this will have affected thousands.

Professor Heneghan also called for a registry to be created. This would include everyone who had been treated with the implant so that the effects can be fully understood.

The article can be found here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42110076

“It had cut up my insides like glass”

An article in the Daily Mirror shows the life changing effects of the mesh. Catherine Hayley alleges that her life was ruined by a surgical mesh implant introduced in 2004. The implant was inserted to help secure her bowel. Within a short time she suffered with bleeding. Infection was suspected but numerous appointments led to further surgery in 2005. Sadly this did not help.

Other symptoms which followed including ulcerative colitis. In due course the mesh had been found to disintegrate and form a glass like substance. She subsequently ended up requiring a colostomy bag.

Her case is going through litigation but demonstrates the stark and real difficulties following surgery. The article is here http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/it-cut-up-insides-like-11590484

Corries  – Our ever watching eye

At Corries we are at the forefront of product liability and implant litigation in the UK. Our firm is one of only three in the UK who are involved  in hip and mesh product litigation which may help many thousands of patients.

There are similar cases being heard in courts in America and Australia. No binding court case has yet been reached but numbers are growing. We suspect important news is likely to emerge in the next two years.

Corries Solicitor/Barrister Helen Richardson, who deals with these cases commented:-

“This is an interesting and developing landscape. Many thousands are affected by the use of these products. I welcome the NICE guidelines and hope that the NHS takes the advice given and stops the use of mesh. The guidelines do not mention the use of vaginal mesh for urinary incontinence. I hope this important issue is not missed”

She added

“The onoing litigations in the UK involve issues such as negligence and long stop limitation. The decisions could frame if or for how long victims have to make claims.

I endorse Professor Heneghan’s suggestion of a registry. Knowing the numbers affected and what has happened is enormously important. If numbers are not kept then how can we learn ?

Corries are keeping a close eye on developments and will report when we know more. Keep an eye on our website. Her is a link to our home page on this issue https://www.corries.co.uk/breaking-silence-vaginal-mesh-post-natal-prolapse/

Been affected by an implant in your body? If so call our friendly and helpful team for a No Obligation discussion. Try us now on 0800 655 6550.