Texas Lawyer for Hernia Plug InjuriesMesh plugs are commonly used to repair femoral, umbilical, and inguinal hernias. In recent years, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by people who were injured by hernia mesh plugs and patches.

Need a Texas Hernia Plug Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one needed surgery for a serious complication, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

Texas Man Files Hernia Plug Lawsuit

A man from Texas who was seriously injured by two defective hernia plugs has filed a Lawsuit (PDF) against C.R. Bard and Ethicon Inc. He was implanted with the Bard Perfix plug after suffering a hernia on the job. His hernia returned within a few months. He required another surgery to implant the Ethicon Proceed plug. Unfortunately, both implants were defective and caused serious side effects. Click here to read more.

What is a Hernia Plug?

Hernia plugs are stitched inside a patient’s body to repair hernias, which occur when internal organs or tissues bulge out through a weak spot or hole in the abdomen.

Surgeons used to hand-roll their own hernia plugs from a flat piece of mesh, but nowadays most use a commercially pre-made plug for hernia repair. Some hernia plugs are topped with a flat mesh overlay.

What Does a Hernia Plug Look Like?

The C.R. Bard/Davol PerFix® Hernia Plug looks like a shuttlecock, with synthetic mesh “petals” and a tapered point.

C.R. Bard/Davol PerFix® Hernia

C.R. Bard PerFix® Hernia Plug

The GORE® BIO-A® Hernia Plug is a bio-absorbable hernia plug that looks like a sea urchin, with a flat patch and soft mesh “spines” that fill up the hernia.

GORE® BIO-A® Hernia Plug

GORE® BIO-A® Hernia Plug

The Ethicon® PROLENE Hernia System is a “three-in-one” product that looks like two flat pieces of mesh connected by a cylindrical plug.

Mesh Graft for Groin Hernia Repair

Mesh Graft for Groin Hernia Repair

 

Types of Hernia Plug & Mesh Products

  • Ethicon Physiomesh, FlexHD Structural, Proceed, Prolene, Ultrapure, Ultrapure Advanced, Vicky, XCM Biologic
  • Atrum C-QUR, Vitamesh, Proloop, Prolite, Prolite UltraQ
  • C.R. Bard Kugel Composix
  • Bard 3DMax, AlloMaxBard Soft Mesh, Bard Mesh Sheets, Composix, Dulex, Kugel, MK Patch, OnFlex, PerFix Plug, Phasix Mesh, Phasix, Sepramesh IP Composite, Ventralex, Ventralight, Ventrio, Visilex, XenMatrix Surgical Graft
  • Alloderm Mesh
  • Medtronic Parietex, Permacol, ProGrip, Symbotex, Versatex
  • Gore Medical Hernia Mesh
  • TELA Bio OviTex
  • B. Braun Premilene, Omyra, Optilene

Types of Gore Hernia Plug & Mesh Products

  • Gore-Tex Soft Tissue Patch
  • Gore Bio-A Hernia Plug
  • Gore Dualmesh Biomaterial
  • Gore Dualmesh Plus Material
  • Gore Synecor Intraperitoneal Biomaterial
  • Gore Synecor Preperitoneal Biomaterial

Hernia Plug and Patch Technique

The “Plug and Patch” technique uses a mesh plug to fill the hole in the abdominal wall, repairing the hernia like a cork stoppering a bottle. The surgeon customizes the plug for each patient, implants it inside the hernia, and reinforces the repair with a flat patch over the hernia.

Benefits of Using Hernia Mesh Plugs

Proponents of hernia repair with plug and mesh techniques say it is easier than other surgeries, requires smaller incisions, fewer sutures, less tissue damage, and less post-operative pain for the patient.

Mesh Plugs for Inguinal Hernia Repair

Mesh plugs are not effective for all hernias. The “cork in a bottle” analogy makes sense for hernias in the femoral canal, but mesh plugs for inguinal hernia repairs are more problematic. The plugs tend to shrink, loosen, or poke into the bladder or intestines near the groin.

Hernia Mesh Patch Recall: FDA Warns of Death and Serious Health Risks

The FDA recalled C.R. Bard/Davol Kugel Mesh three times between 2005 and 2007 due to the risk of death. The problem was a plastic ring could break and perforate the intestines, resulting in life-threatening complications. In 2011, nearly 3,000 lawsuits involving the recalled hernia plug were resolved with a $184 million settlement.

PerFix Plug Recall

The C.R. Bard PerFix Hernia Plug-and Patch was recalled in 2014 due to a labeling error. It has not been recalled for safety reasons, but some patients have developed serious complications like Post-Herniorrhaphy Pain Syndrome, nerve damage, chronic pain, or required surgery to remove the PerFix Plug.

Hernia Plug Complications

  • Chronic pain
  • Mesh migration or folding
  • Infection
  • Bowel perforation
  • Hernia recurrence
  • Rejection
  • Sexual dysfunction or urinary problems
  • Allergic reaction
  • Surgery to remove mesh

Hernia Plug Migration

One of the most serious hernia plug complications is migration. It occurs when the mesh moves out of its intended location, folds into layers, or bunches up into a ball. It can cause chronic pain, erosion into nearby organs, inflammation, adhesions (scar-tissue sticking organs together), hernia recurrence, and require another surgery.

Hernia Plug Lawsuit

Ethicon Inc. is facing a growing number of Physiomesh hernia plug lawsuits. It was recalled in Europe and Australia in May 2016 after a large study found higher rates of hernia recurrence and re-operation.

Atrium Medical Corp. is also facing lawsuits involving C-QUR Mesh, which is coated in fish oil (Omega-3). The coating is advertised to prevent side effects. The lawsuits involve people who suffered allergic reactions to fish oil, resulting in chronic inflammation or infections.

Need a Hernia Plug Lawyer in Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas hernia plug lawyers for a free lawsuit review.

Meet Your Attorney

Collen A. Clark

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

“Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

To contact Collen, please fill out the contact form below:

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