Thousands of TVT cases pending

Even though a number of lawsuits filed by women who underwent transvaginal mesh surgery have already been settled, thousands of cases are still pending across the country.

The hammock-like device works by acting as a sling of sorts, and is meant to shore up supportive pelvic tissue and keep sagging organs in place. The products are a popular treatment for Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence in middle-aged women.

But instead of fixing their problems, many women started experiencing painful side effects following their surgery. In 2008, the FDA issued a safety alert about serious complications associated with the use of mesh products. Some of the most common complications include pain, bleeding, pain during intercourse, organ perforation and mesh erosion.

Because the FDA had received so many complaints from women who had TVT surgery, the agency also asked 33 manufacturers to conduct post-market tests to investigate the effects of vaginal mesh on organ damage and other concerns.

Now, there are more than 20,000 lawsuits pending that allege the TVTs made by major manufacturers such as Johnson and Johnson, Endo Pharmaceuticals and C.R. Bard were defective and caused a host of problems and side effects, which often resulted in additional surgery.

Some women may have already received the compensation they deserve. But thousands of women are still waiting for some kind of resolution.