NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH & CARE EXCELLENCE CALLS FOR VAGINAL MESH BAN

There have been growing calls for England to follow the lead of the Scottish Parliament and implement a ban on vaginal mesh products as increasing numbers of women experience sometimes devastating complications from the devices.

TVT/TVT-O mesh has been under the microscope worldwide for a significant number of years with many patients complaining of an array of problems including, chronic pain, urethral fistula, significant voiding dysfunction, mesh erosion leading to exposure into the vagina or urethra, bladder problems and sexual difficulties.

Today the BBC reports that NICE, the health advisory and advice organisation has put forward draft guidance, which is to be published in December, banning the use of mesh in routine procedures; although the use will still be permitted but only for research.

This would be a significant shift from the previous ‘gold standard’ procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse used by many urogynaecologists throughout England.

Enable Law is investigating a number of these cases where TVT and TVT-O mesh has been inappropriately inserted; this is often due to sub-standard surgery, including where the mesh has been improperly position or where full and genuine consent has not been properly obtained.

Many women undergoing the TVT or TVT-O procedure will have spent years prior to the operation undertaking various treatments, such as pelvic floor exercise, nerve stimulation or medications.  In many types of surgery, doctors would be expected to offer alternative options for patients, although in the case of stress urinary incontinence, doctors can recommend mesh insertion as the main or only permanent option, provided that all conservative treatment options have been explored and exhausted first.  There is an increasing number of cases where these steps have not been taken and all the risks of the procedure has not been set out to the patient, including the permanent nature of the mesh resulting in the patient being provided inadequate information to make a proper choice.

If you have been harmed by a TVT mesh procedure or believe that you did not fully consent to the type of treatment you received, you can contact our Caroline Webber-Brown on 03303 116764 or a member of the Enable Law team on 0800 044 8488 for discreet, sympathetic and expert advice.