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Ethicon Media Monitoring 8/10/2018
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Local hospital Trust backs 'highly effective' 'banned' mesh procedures
Aug 9, 2018 | Oxford Mail
By Harrison Jones
In a statement on their website, the Oxford Gynaecology and Pelvic Floor Centre said they would continue to offer abdominal mesh surgery for patients who have prolapse and backed the use of the controversial ‘TVT’ treatment, used for stress incontinence. -
Tory peer visiting Southampton to meet victims of pelvic mesh implants
Aug 9, 2018 | Daily Echo
By Chris Yandell
Many women say the plastic implants caused them agony by damaging tissue - and some claim to have been left with life-changing injuries. -
Judge: Take $10M Punitives In Pelvic Mesh Case Or Face Retrial On That Claim
Aug 9, 2018 | Lexis Legal News
An Indiana federal judge on Aug. 8 declined to disturb a $10 million compensatory verdict in an Ethicon pelvic mesh case but said the plaintiff can accept a reduction of her $25 million punitive award to $10 million or face a new trial on punitives only (Barbara Kaiser, et al. v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., No. 17-114, N.D. Ind., Hammond Div.). -
Judge cut $15 million from J&J pelvic mesh verdict
Aug 10, 2018 | Reuters
By Nate Raymond
A federal judge has ruled that a $35 million jury award to an Indiana woman who said she suffered injuries due to a pelvic mesh device manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon unit must be reduced by $15 million. -
$35 Million Verdict Slashed in Ind. Ethicon Prolift Transvaginal Mesh Case
Aug 10, 2018 | HarrisMartin Publishing
An Indiana federal judge has slashed a $35 million verdict to $20 million in a case in which an Indiana woman alleged her Prolift transvaginal mesh device was defectively designed and that Ethicon Inc. failed to provide her surgeon with adequate warnings as to its risks.
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Local hospital Trust backs 'highly effective' 'banned' mesh procedures
Aug 9, 2018 | Oxford Mail
By Harrison Jones
In a statement on their website, the Oxford Gynaecology and Pelvic Floor Centre said they would continue to offer abdominal mesh surgery for patients who have prolapse and backed the use of the controversial ‘TVT’ treatment, used for stress incontinence.
The stance follows news that at least 15 women are taking legal action against the Trust after claiming to have suffered graphic and ‘catastrophic’ side effects from mesh procedures.
Thousands of women nationwide have reportedly had operations to remove mesh in the last decade, while it has also been linked to a death.
Four health specialists wrote in an open letter: “the TVT, in our opinion, remains a highly effective treatment and this is consistent with the findings of the Scottish Government Independent Review of Transvaginal Mesh Implants.”
National campaign 'Sling the Mesh' quickly threw doubt on the reliability of the review, writing that it 'is currently under scrutiny amid whitewash claims'.
Mesh has been blamed for a host of horrifying issues, including chronic pain, the loss of sex lives and mobility problems by women nationwide.
The implants have reportedly cut into women’s bladders, bowels and vaginas.
Despite various patients subsequently having problems and removals, the practice was still being used by the John Radcliffe to treat incontinence prior to the recent guidance suspended its use.
But questions have since been raised about what the guidance means in practice - and whether it is even a ban.
Linda Millband, head of medical negligence at Thompsons Solicitors, who represent over 220 mesh-injured clients, said: “The recommendation for a ban could not have been clearer and yet, whilst saying they accept it, the government haven’t introduced a ban at all. The only thing they have introduced is ambiguity where there was none.
“There will also be legitimate questions as to why procedures, such as rectopexy for bowel patients have not been included in the recommendations.
We believe they should be, because any mesh, wherever it is used, is dangerous, destructive and in some cases, deadly. We encourage anyone who has fallen victim to mesh complications to seek medical and legal advice as soon as possible.”
Kath Sansom, from Sling The Mesh, said: "There is a national suspension of vaginal mesh implants after Baroness Cumberlege said she is appalled at the seriousness and scale of the tragic stories of women and their families suffering.
"Yet at Oxford they see fit to insist it is still the best treatment option. They also say they are specialists at dealing with mesh complications. So they want to keep putting in and also fix it when it goes wrong.
"Nationally the old fashioned skills to fix prolapse and incontinence are being lost. New surgeons are mostly only trained using mesh. Plus mesh implant operations make a lot of money in private practice because it is a quick 20 minute day case operation compared to traditional repairs that take around two hours and require the surgeon visiting the patient on ward rounds for the next two days.
"Studies show traditional fixes are as effective as mesh - but don't carry additional risks like the plastic shrinking and cutting into tissues, organs and nerves."
Ingrid Granne, Clinical Director for Gynaecology said: "The Trust has not carried out vaginal mesh operations for prolapse since 2010. However, it has still been performing a limited number of mesh operations for stress urinary incontinence (known as TVT) after a full discussion with patients. We will be in contact with all patients currently listed for TVT operations over the coming days."
Baroness Cumberlege, who is reviewing the use of mesh, will be in Oxford on Monday, September 17, to hear from those affected.
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/16408526.trust-backs-highly-effective-banned-mesh-procedures/
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Tory peer visiting Southampton to meet victims of pelvic mesh implants
Aug 9, 2018 | Daily Echo
By Chris Yandell
Many women say the plastic implants caused them agony by damaging tissue - and some claim to have been left with life-changing injuries.
A review chaired by Baroness Cumberlege is speaking to people across the UK who have suffered serious complications.
The former junior health minister said: “I have been appalled at the seriousness and scale of the tragic stories we have heard from women and their families. We have heard from many women who are suffering terribly. Their bravery and dignity in speaking out is deeply moving, and their sadness, anger, pain and frustration at what has happened to them and others has been compelling.”
The Southampton meeting will take place at the Best Western Chilworth Manor Hotel next Tuesday<AUG 14> at 2pm.
Baroness Cumberlege will talk to woman whose lives have been changed “beyond repair” following the operation, often performed to treat conditions caused by having children. The mesh has also been used in hernia and bowel repairs, resulting in horrific complications for men as well as women.
Campaigners include Denise Shaw, of West End, who is urging as many people as possible to attend the two-hour session. Describing her own ordeal after having a mesh inserted in 2002 she said: “I was told it was a simple procedure with no risks. After 16 years of battling I finally found a surgeon in London to remove it.“Unfortunately the procedure for removal is not so simple. It’s been described as like ‘removing chewing gum from hair’.”
The net-like fabric acts as a scaffold to support organs such as the bladder, keeping them in the right place to help manage incontinence and another condition called prolapse.
About 75,000 women in England had the procedure, known as TVT, between 2006 and 2016. One in 15 have now had the implant removed.
As reported in the Daily Echo, the use of surgical mesh has recently been banned until the risk of injury is reduced.
Baroness Cumberlege said: “We strongly believe that mesh must not be used to treat women with stress urinary incontinence until we can manage the risk of complications much more effectively.
“My team and I are in no doubt that this pause is necessary. We must stop exposing women to the risk of life-changing and life-threatening injuries.”
The ban has been welcomed by Kath Sansom, founder of a campaign group called Sling the Mesh.
She said: “This is vindication for more than 6,100 members of Sling the Mesh who have been maimed by this operation and then ignored, some for years.”
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/16408496.baroness-cumberlege-heading-review-into-medical-problems-faced-by-thousands-of-women/
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Judge: Take $10M Punitives In Pelvic Mesh Case Or Face Retrial On That Claim
Aug 9, 2018 | Lexis Legal News
An Indiana federal judge on Aug. 8 declined to disturb a $10 million compensatory verdict in an Ethicon pelvic mesh case but said the plaintiff can accept a reduction of her $25 million punitive award to $10 million or face a new trial on punitives only (Barbara Kaiser, et al. v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., No. 17-114, N.D. Ind., Hammond Div.).
(Opinion and order available. Document #28-180816-009Z.)
In 2009, Barbara Kaiser suffered from pelvic organ prolapse and was implanted with a Prolift...Access to full text unavailable – subscription required.
Story can be found here: https://www.lexislegalnews.com/articles/29001
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Judge cut $15 million from J&J pelvic mesh verdict
Aug 10, 2018 | Reuters
By Nate Raymond
A federal judge has ruled that a $35 million jury award to an Indiana woman who said she suffered injuries due to a pelvic mesh device manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon unit must be reduced by $15 million.
U.S. District Judge Philip Simon in Hammond, Indiana, on Wednesday ruled the $25 million in punitive damages that a jury awarded Barbara Kaiser was excessive. He gave her the option to accept a reduction or go to trial again.
https://www.reuters.com/article/products-johnsonjohnson/judge-cut-15-million-from-jj-pelvic-mesh-verdict-idUSL1N1V01SR
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$35 Million Verdict Slashed in Ind. Ethicon Prolift Transvaginal Mesh Case
Aug 10, 2018 | HarrisMartin Publishing
An Indiana federal judge has slashed a $35 million verdict to $20 million in a case in which an Indiana woman alleged her Prolift transvaginal mesh device was defectively designed and that Ethicon Inc. failed to provide her surgeon with adequate warnings as to its risks.
On Aug. 8, Judge Philip P. Simon U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana reduced the punitive damages award from $25 million to $10 million, ruling that it was unreasonable given Ethicon’s relatively low Prolift-related profit in Indiana.
However, Judge Simon denied Ethicon's motions for judgment as a matter ...
Access to full text unavailable – subscription required.
Story can be found here: https://harrismartin.com/article/23732/35-million-verdict-slashed-in-ind-ethicon-prolift-transvaginal-mesh-case/
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