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With advancing age, many women suffer problems in the pelvic floor region of their bodies. As many as 50% of all women will suffer some form of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in their lifetime. This happens when, probably due to the muscles being stretched and weakened during childbearing, or having had a hysterectomy, or for other mild pathologies the organs such as the bladder shift and start squeezing the vaginal wall.

Intervention varies depending on the severity of the prolapse. Mild cases are treatable by doing some special exercises to tone those muscles. The fitment of a pessary is an often performed solution. A pessary which is a removable gadget that is inserted in the vagina and may be removed by the patient and replaced at will. This is successful but like all prosthetic it is an imposition. Lastly there is an operation which is fairly extreme and not undertaken lightly due to the complications and the sensitivity of the organs involved. Surgery is in no way recommended if the woman still intends to bear more children. Also during the surgery it is often suggested that a hysterectomy be undertaken. But surgery is nevertheless advisable if one is in lot of pain, is incontinent or has bowel problems or finds intercourse difficult or painful.

One of the treatments preferred for POP repair has been the use of a surgical tape known as Vaginal Mesh. This device is a polypropene woven tape with many holes that is inserted behind the vaginal walls to be a lasting support of the pelvic organs. Once it is installed the tissue grows through the holes in the mesh and recuperation takes four to six weeks. Statistics show that some 75,000 women in the USA had mesh implanted during surgery in 2010. This has been regarded as very successful hitherto.

There have been a growing number severe adverse reactions reported recently. The most common complaint is erosion where the tissue of the vaginal wall has worn away and allowed the mesh to actually protrude into the vagina. As can be imagined this causes a great deal of distress and discomfort. Other complaints are of pain, bleeding, vaginal infections or shrinkage, urinary problems and discomfort during sexual intercourse. The Vaginal Mesh Implant problems have been noted by the FDA who have issued a safety warning on 13 July 2011 wherein they say that there is serious concern as regards the use of surgical tape in the treatment of POP and Sudden urinary incontinence(SUI)

In September 2011 the 2 US manufacturers have been in discussion with the FDA and while not acknowledging that they are at fault are suggesting that further clinical trials be undertaken. This discussion is still underway at the time of writing.

In the meantime what is a lady to do if she has concerns about a transvaginal mesh implant that she has had? A consultation with a Vaginal Mesh Attorney will set out her rights to representation in a mass tort litigation that will be undertaken within the next short period. If she is in pain and discomfort she may well be entitled to some form of compensation. Keflex