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Hernia Surgical Mesh Implants
Hernia Mesh; Hernia Mesh Surgery; Mesh Hernia Repair Surgery
Hernia repairs are common—more than one million hernia repairs are performed each year in the U.S. Hernia mesh, or surgical mesh, is a medical device that supports damaged tissue around hernias as it heals. Learn more about hernia surgical mesh implants and what should you ask your surgeon if you are considering a hernia repair.
Hernia mesh 1
Image by Doctoroftcm/Wikimedia
Illustration of an inguinal hernia
Image by Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014
A hernia occurs when an organ, intestine or fatty tissue squeezes through a hole or a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue. Hernias often occur at the abdominal wall. Sometimes a hernia can be visible as an external bulge particularly when straining or bearing down.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Hernia mesh 1
Image by Doctoroftcm/Wikimedia
Surgical mesh is a medical device that is used to provide additional support to weakened or damaged tissue. The majority of surgical mesh devices currently available for use are constructed from synthetic materials or animal tissue.
Surgical mesh made of synthetic materials can be found in knitted mesh or non-knitted sheet forms. The synthetic materials used can be absorbable, non-absorbable or a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable materials.
Animal-derived mesh are made of animal tissue, such as intestine or skin, that has been processed and disinfected to be suitable for use as an implanted device. These animal-derived mesh are absorbable. The majority of tissue used to produce these mesh implants are from a pig (porcine) or cow (bovine) source.
Non-absorbable mesh will remain in the body indefinitely and is considered a permanent implant. It is used to provide permanent reinforcement to the repaired hernia. Absorbable mesh will degrade and lose strength over time. It is not intended to provide long-term reinforcement to the repair site. As the material degrades, new tissue growth is intended to provide strength to the repair.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Abdominal Pain, Pain
Image by derneuemann/Pixabay
Based on FDA’s analysis of medical device adverse event reports and of peer-reviewed, scientific literature, the most common adverse events for all surgical repair of hernias—with or without mesh—are pain, infection, hernia recurrence, scar-like tissue that sticks tissues together (adhesion), blockage of the large or small intestine (obstruction), bleeding, abnormal connection between organs, vessels, or intestines (fistula), fluid build-up at the surgical site (seroma), and a hole in neighboring tissues or organs (perforation).
The most common adverse events following hernia repair with mesh are pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, and bowel obstruction. Some other potential adverse events that can occur following hernia repair with mesh are mesh migration and mesh shrinkage (contraction).
Many complications related to hernia repair with surgical mesh that have been reported to the FDA have been associated with recalled mesh products that are no longer on the market. Pain, infection, recurrence, adhesion, obstruction, and perforation are the most common complications associated with recalled mesh. In the FDA’s analysis of medical adverse event reports to the FDA, recalled mesh products were the main cause of bowel perforation and obstruction complications.
Please refer to the recall notices here for more information if you have recalled mesh. For more information on the recalled products, please visit the FDA Medical Device Recall website. Please visit the Medical & Radiation Emitting Device Database to search a specific type of surgical mesh.
If you are unsure about the specific mesh manufacturer and brand used in your surgery and have questions about your hernia repair, contact your surgeon or the facility where your surgery was performed to obtain the information from your medical record.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Inguinal Hernia Repair
Image by BruceBlaus
All medical devices and procedures carry certain benefits and risks. You should discuss your situation with your surgeon to determine your best option for hernia repair, including non-surgical and surgical options.
When discussing your options for hernia repair with your doctor, some questions you should ask include:
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
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