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Young Women Not Exempted From Stress Urinary Incontinence

31/01/2014 06:54

You are in you 30’s, you have maintained the ideal weight, you have not given birth nor went through pregnancy, and you do not suffer from any medical conditions. Getting stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a pelvic floor disorder that affects over 18 million American women, may be far from your mind. You may take comfort in your observation that women who are getting representations for their vaginal mesh lawsuits are mostly in their middle ages. These are mostly the women who suffered from SUI and were unfortunately injured when they decided to undergo SUI treatment with the use of vaginal mesh slings.

While it may be true that incidence of SUI and other pelvic floor disorders are higher among older women, this is no reason for younger women to be complacent. Young women also face the possibility of developing this common disorder even without being exposed to the leading risk factors. In fact, one study conducted in Australia found that 13 percent of women between the ages of 16 and 30 years reported episodes of urine leakage. Studies carried out in the United States yielded similar results.

Going over the results of the study, researchers were able to come up with the possible reasons for the occurrence of this urinary problem. The more common causes identified were hereditary factors, present lifestyle, and those related to sports activities.

Like other medical conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, pelvic floor disorders, particularly SUI, may also be inherited. Children of parents who suffered SUI would likely get this disorder and it may occur sooner than expected. This has been supported by various studies that found a genetic link in the development of this ailment.

Especially for those who have a very active social life, the early onset of SUI may be very likely. Alcohol and smoking are factors that have been recognized as triggering SUI. Smoking may bring about frequent coughing which in turn may exert pressure on the bladder. Alcoholic beverages are known diuretics that may have a huge impact also on the bladder. The same is true for certain foods and other drinks that may irritate the bladder.

It was reported that 20 percent of the young women diagnosed with SUI may have acquired the disorder as a result of their participation in sports or other physical activities. This was more pronounced on women who were into high-impact sports such as diving, jumping, and even marathon. The stress involved in these activities may contribute to the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues that provide support for the bladder and urethra.

Young women, who are in the prime of their lives, do not have to suffer this life-changing disorder at this stage of their life. This may be prevented by addressing the risk factors mentioned. In addition, it is never too early to start practicing the Kegels – pelvic floor exercises that have been proven to be very effective in preventing and managing SUI.

References:

consumer.healthday.com/senior-citizen-information-31/age-health-news-7/incontinence-affects-young-childless-women-too-666623.html

abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2011/11/17/3367126.htm#.UY7C06Lvu84

Transvaginal Mesh Allegedly More Risky Than Alternative Treatments

02/01/2014 13:45

Surgeries using transvaginal mesh implants may potentially be more risky than alternative procedures, according to online media sources. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 13, 2011 that pelvic organ prolapse (POP) patients implanted with a surgical mesh device may be at a greater risk of developing complications compared to those who pursue other methods of treatment. Based on various reports, mesh manufacturers allegedly neglected to inform their consumers regarding this FDA announcement. As a result, thousands of prolapse patients were allegedly injured.

Transvaginal mesh implants were first used for the treatment of hernias in the 1950s, after which they were utilized in vaginal repair procedures to treat gynecologic conditions, such as POP and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The devices tremendously grew in popularity in the 1990s, attracting medical device manufacturers to develop their own version of the transvaginal mesh implant. Ethicon, Inc., American Medical Systems, Inc., Boston Scientific Corp., Cook Medical, and C.R. Bard, Inc. are among the largest companies involved in the production of this medical device.

Compared to transvaginal mesh implants, medical experts claim that some alternative treatments may prove to be less dangerous. According to a safety announcement released by the FDA in 2008, the agency received over a thousand reports of adverse effects related to transvaginal mesh devices. Since then, the number of reports has allegedly increased.

Over the years, transvaginal mesh devices have been linked to several complications. Some of these reported complications include mesh erosion, infection, organ perforation, and recurrent POP. Moreover, there have been reports of patients who needed to undergo additional procedures after developing the above complications. Consequently, a number of these individuals have pressed charges against the manufacturer of their mesh implants, claiming that the companies failed to properly warn them about the dangers of these devices.

For some, their transvaginal mesh implants have immensely helped them. Unfortunately, others claim that they have sustained permanent injuries after repeatedly undergoing corrective procedures. In fact, according to them, the device made things worse instead of treating them.

Sources:

jamesesparza.com/news/vaginal-mesh-is-no-more-effective-than-alternatives-why-risk-injury-.cfm
fda.gov/medicaldevices/safety/alertsandnotices/ucm262435.htm

New Jersey Bellwether Cases Moving Along Satisfactorily, Reports Say

20/07/2013 03:34

Vaginal mesh lawsuits filed in New Jersey seem to be moving along well, according to online reports, citing details of a court order issued on May 31, 2013. The order coming from the Atlantic County Superior Court lays down guidelines on the preservation and testing of explanted devices and tissue samples to be used in the first bellwether cases.

It was learned from the injury lawyer newswire that the first of these bellwether cases against C.R. Bard is scheduled to start on September 23, 2013. This court order was intended to make sure that medical evidences relevant to these legal claims are preserved properly.

The Rottenstein Law Group, which accepts clients injured by vaginal mesh devices, has taken note of how these cases filed in New Jersey have moved along satisfactorily. Miss Rochelle Rottenstein, principal of the Rottenstein Law Group, has remarked on the importance of the proper handling of evidence by stressing that the explanted transvaginal mesh could help plaintiffs win their cases.

Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit Update: Rottenstein Law Group is troubled by Johnson & Johnson official’s admission of vaginal mesh failure rates of at least 20 percent

19/01/2013 02:53

During a trial for a vaginal mesh lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court in Atlantic City, a Johnson & Johnson project leader admitted vaginal mesh failure rates of at least 20 percent.

The Rottenstein Law Group is troubled by a Johnson & Johnson official’s testimony in a vaginal mesh trial that a prototype of a vaginal mesh implant failed in 20 percent of women within six months before the device even went to market in 2005, as reported in a Jan. 11 Bloomberg article.

J&J subsidiary Ethicon is currently in New Jersey Superior Court in Atlantic City defending a case (Gross v. Gynecare Inc., Atl-L-6966-10) brought by Linda Gross, 47, of South Dakota, who alleges that the company failed to adequately warn of the risks associated with the Gynecare vaginal mesh implanted to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Gross alleges that she received 18 surgeries to repair damage following the 2006 implantation of her Gynecare Prolift. This is the first of 1,800 vaginal mesh lawsuits set to go to trial.

Read full story at PRWeb.com: Vaginal Mesh Lawsuit Update: Rottenstein Law Group is troubled by Johnson & Johnson official’s admission of vaginal mesh failure rates of at least 20 percent

Rottenstein Law Group Encouraged by FDA’s Proposal to Move Up Deadline for Complying with Unique Medical Device Identification Rules

06/12/2012 02:21

The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from harms caused by defective medical devices, has learned that the FDA has proposed an accelerated timeline for establishing a unique device identification (UDI) system for certain medical devices. (Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.)

New York (PRWEB) December 03, 2012

To improve the management of medical device recalls and systems for identifying and correcting potentially dangerous problems with medical devices, in June 2012 the FDA proposed implementing an identification system that would assign to nearly every medical device on the U.S. market a unique code that will be the key to certain basic identifying information about the device. Now, the agency has amended the proposal to require that “implantable, life-supporting and life-sustaining” devices bear the unique identifier codes—known as UDIs—sooner than the FDA had originally proposed, reports the website for the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). The new proposal moves up the deadline by which implantable devices must bear UDIs by one to five years, depending on whether the device falls into the high-, moderate-, or low-risk category, according to the AAMI website.

The Rottenstein Law Group’s principal, Rochelle Rottenstein, is the devoted advocate of claimants allegedly injured by recalled medical devices—including Boston Scientific's Protegen Sling vaginal mesh product, which was recalled in 1999, according to a May 4, 2009, New York Times article. As a representative of women who have filed vaginal mesh lawsuits, Rottenstein is aware of the importance of keeping track of adverse event reports filed in connection with injuries sustained from medical devices. Accordingly, Rottenstein has long been a proponent of the FDA's adoption of a UDI system, which she believes can go a long way toward minimizing the injuries caused by potentially dangerous medical devices.

Read full story on PRWeb.com – Rottenstein Law Group Encouraged by FDA’s Proposal to Move Up Deadline for Complying with Unique Medical Device Identification Rules

Pelvic Floor Problems

06/11/2012 22:49

Pelvic floor problems may not be as common as other medical problems out there because usually they are widely not talked about due mainly to the fact that most of the symptoms associated with them may be quite embarrassing. However, recent events have changed this impression. The reports about the malfunctioning of the medical device called vaginal mesh have actually made many people to come out openly about their pelvic floor problems. However, there are still some debates about this particular medical device, typical of the manner and voice of a New Zealand physiotherapist who claimed that forceful exercise can make one need of a vaginal mesh.

There are many things that are going on and must be known about pelvic floor disorders. However, it is equally important to know about certain facts:

Pelvic floor is a group of muscles that attach to the front, back and sides of the pelvic bone and sacrum (the large bone just above the tail bone). In this part of the body, one will find the bowel, the bladder, the reproductive organs and a complex web of pelvic floor muscles, all with their own nerves and actions.
Problems occurring in the pelvic floor area usually consist of muscle weakness or tightening, leakage, incontinence and/or chronic pain. Normally, this is caused by childbirth, chronic heavy lifting, obesity and chronic coughing.
Foods that are highly acidic can also contribute to problems in the pelvic floor as it irritates the bladder.

As pelvic floor problems come in many forms, there are also many different treatments associated withthem and the use of vaginal mesh is just one of them. It is very important that when the first few signs of pelvic floor problems occur, a doctor should be immediately consulted to prevent further complications. There may be instances in which particular and/or specific issues about certain treatment occurs, as in the cases of many women in different geographical locations who have been seeking the help of a vaginal mesh attorney. This should not be the reason to jeopardize your health. Always seek medical help immediately but be informed.

Reference:

goerie.com/article/20121104/HERTIMES03/311049947/When-there's-PAIN-down-there

Things to know about Vaginal Mesh Implants

31/10/2012 22:46

Damaged tissue may be repaired and reinforced with a medical device called surgical mesh. Mesh material, which is made of synthetics, does not get completely absorbed by the body; thus, it is called permanent. Absorbable biologic material meshes like acellular collagen are derived from bovine or porcine sources which the body can break down over time. composite material, which may also be used for vaginal mesh, is made from a combination of biologic and synthetic materials.

Repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) are some of the urogynecologic procedures the vaginal mesh device treats.

The weakened vaginal wall is implanted with the mesh to support the urethra in POP patients. The bladder neck of SUI sufferers is reinforced with a “sling” to prevent it from relocating.

Recent analysis has shed new light on adverse effects due to the synthetic material used in such medical devices. These devices which were supposed to treat and correct the displacement of various vaginal organs in women have had numerous negative feedback. The commonly used synthetic vaginal mesh was issued with a new warning by the FDA. Around 2,800 women were affected since the first warning issued in 2008 and three years prior to the latest warning from the FDA, more than 1,000 reports of complications due to vaginal mesh usage added to the count.

The new warning states that although it is common to report adverse events following an FDA safety update, there is still concern regarding the number of adverse event reports remaining to be high. Bleeding, infection, urinary infections, bladder or bowel perforation, painful urination, Fistulas, narrowing of the vaginal wall, mesh shrinkage, mesh migration, painful sexual intercourse for both partners, recurrence of incontinence, recurrence of either POP or SUI, or both, tightening of the vagina and the most common complication, erosion are usually what’s reported.

Even though reviews for improving the vaginal mesh are under way, University of Utah Health Care officials are concerned of the inadequate education given to patients on the matter which are making the situation even more abominable. The FDA is encouraging professionals to obtain specialized training for the mesh placement techniques and to be aware of the repercussions. Different means of treating POP without cutting the body open are available and that is what the FDA urges sufferers to try.