Manufacturers continue to put profits over safety despite the strong position that transobturator slings cause harm.

Ben Martin, Esq., national pharmaceutical injury trial attorney and partner at Martin Baughman PLLC in Dallas, Texas states, “Obturator neuralgia and pudendal neuralgia are caused by transobturator slings (TOT) and mini-slings that are inserted into the obturator internus muscle. These injuries are catastrophic and life-altering pain syndromes and are the basis for lawsuits based on a failure to warn and design defect. These injuries cause serious harm, both physically and financially, because of the physical damage as well as the cost of the anticipated life-long medical treatment involved. The stories of pain and suffering are compelling. Our clients are physically and mentally devastated by these injuries.”

“A vast majority of our TOT clients are newly injured women since the MDL closed its doors to new cases. These new injury cases may have symptoms of pain soon after implantation or occur years later.” — Dr. Greg Vigna

Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national pharmaceutical injury attorney, practicing physician, and Certified Life Care Planner adds, “General causation for obturator neuralgia and pudendal neuralgia were not worked up in the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) to any significant extent. The MDL largely involved a discussion about erosions. We are dealing with different issues for many of our clients, some of which have come to us after opting out of the tier settlement offers in the MDL. A vast majority of our TOT clients are newly injured women since the MDL closed its doors to new cases. These new injury cases may have symptoms of pain soon after implantation, or they might occur years later.”

It is unbelievable that Ethicon, Coloplast, and Boston Scientific Board of Directors continue to put profits over safety despite the strong position from England’s National Health and Care Excellence new national guidance that transobturator slings ‘should not be offered routinely…in the future we feel the TVT-O should only be used in exceptional circumstances, if at all.’

One recent deposition of a treating physician of a client with pudendal and obturator neuralgia caused by a Boston Scientific Obtryx suggests that Boston Scientific doesn’t accept that pudendal neuralgia is caused by TOTs. This is a dangerous path for the company given the potential for punitive damages as the medical literature is clear on this point. There is a direct and unmistakable anatomical basis of injury, and treating physicians are testifying to causation.

Greg Vigna states, “I doubt Boston Scientific has forgotten the Salazar 2014 verdict in Dallas where the company was hit with a $74 million dollar verdict. To date my firm represents dozens of women with neurological injuries caused by Boston Scientific Obtryx devices, and we are marching each case toward the courthouse. COVID-19 may have delayed trial settings but the outcome is clear…TOTs will be litigated off the market.”

The Vigna Law Group targets devices including the transobturator slings and mini-slings that are inserted into the obturator internus muscle including the following:

Ethicon: TVT-O, Abbrevo
Boston Scientific: Obtryx, Solyx
Coloplast: Aris, Altis

Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who focuses on catastrophic neurological injuries caused by transvaginal mesh devices—injuries including pudendal neuralgia, obturator neuralgia, ilioinguinal neuralgia, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He has clients with these diagnoses filed around the country with Martin Baughman, a Dallas, Texas firm representing many of those clients. Ben Martin and Laura Baughman are national pharmaceutical injury trial attorneys in Dallas.

Click here to learn more on the anatomical basis for TOT injury or irritation to the obturator and pudendal nerve and the treatments of obturator and pudendal neuralgia. We also offer a FREE BOOK on Vaginal Mesh Pain: https://vignalawgroup.com/publications/.

For articles, video resources, and information visit the Pudendal Neuralgia Educational Portal and click here for information regarding sling related complications. Visit us at https://tvm.lifecare123.com/ to learn more.

References: https://www.immdsreview.org.uk/downloads/IMMDSReview_Web.pdf
https://www.meshmedicaldevicenewsdesk.com/breaking-news-boston-scientific-must-pay-salazar-72-million/