Pelvic Organ Prolapse (“POP”) and Stress Urinary Incontinence (“SUI”) are medical conditions where tissue becomes weakened or damaged. This loss of natural support results in pelvic organs bulging down within the vagina, and accidental urine loss during physical activity.
Historically, these conditions were treated with native tissue repair. This involves the use of surgical stitches to attach the prolapsed organ to a surrounding ligament or muscle to offer support.
Pelvic mesh was developed as an alternative treatment option, to provide a permanent support structure that becomes fused with the body after implantation. There are however several complications associated with the use of pelvic mesh and many women suffer long-term consequences after undergoing surgery.
There is a growing body of scientific studies that shows that polypropylene, the material most commonly used in the production of mesh, is not suitable to be permanently implanted into the human body.
Polypropylene is subject to oxidation and as a result, the mesh becomes degraded after it has been implanted. The degraded surface of the mesh hardens, becomes brittle and cracks causing sharp edges. This leads to a host of symptoms such as the mesh cutting into and pulling on the surrounding tissue, excessive scar tissue building up that can entrap nerves, and chronic inflammatory responses.
