There is a large percentage of urologists, gynecologists, and urogynecologists who don’t place TOT slings because of catastrophic, life-altering pain syndromes.
Cleveland Clinic’s Chair of its Obstetrics and Gynecology & Women’s Health Institute, Dr. Beri Ridgeway, in a 2019 presentation stated mid-urethral synthetic polypropylene slings are the “definite standard of care” after being cautioned by an anonymous note to “think very carefully about what I’d be talking about during my presentation on synthetics” and that note related to the “deep controversy over the use of transvaginal synthetic mesh products… linked to a long list of serious adverse effects.”
Dr. Ridgeway in her presentation went through the normal spiel of how transobturator slings pose “less risk of bladder and vascular injury” and single-incision slings are “up-and-coming options” and alternative treatments for SUI (stress urinary incontinence) have limitations.” Unfortunately, Dr. Ridgeway is biased as she is a consultant for Coloplast and is an independent contractor and consultant and key opinion leader subject for Ethicon which are two of the three largest manufacturers of polypropylene slings in the world.
“…a substantial percentage of urologists, gynecologists, & urogynecologists… don’t place TOT slings because of catastrophic, life-altering pain syndromes caused by obturator and pudendal neuralgia.” — Dr. Greg
Greg Vigna, MD, JD, national pharmaceutical injury attorney, practicing physician, and Certified Life Care Planner states, “There is a substantial percentage of urologists, gynecologists, and urogynecologists who don’t place transobturator (TOT) slings because of catastrophic, life-altering pain syndromes caused by obturator neuralgia and pudendal neuralgia. In fact, some in Dr. Ridgway’s own department don’t place TOT slings.”
Dr. Vigna adds, “Courts in California and Australia labelled the leading defense experts against Ethicon as ‘biased and unreliable’ and now Dr. Ridgeway is following the same path. My legal teams have combination physician malpractice product cases progressing in Oregon, New York, Texas, and will be filing a TVT-O claim in Boston. Academic physicians from reputable teaching institutions may be named defendants in appropriate circumstances for the foreseeable and unavoidable neurological injuries caused by TOTs and mini-slings that insert on the obturator internus.”
Dr. Vigna is a California and Washington DC lawyer who focuses on catastrophic neurological injuries caused by transvaginal mesh devices including pudendal neuralgia, obturator neuralgia, ilioinguinal neuralgia, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He has filed cases around the country with Martin Baughman, a Dallas Texas firm. Ben Martin and Laura Baughman are national pharmaceutical injury trial attorneys in Dallas, Texas.
For articles, video resources, and information visit the Pudendal Neuralgia Educational Portal or https://tvm.lifecare123.com/.
Click here for information regarding sling related complications and click here for a FREE BOOK on Vaginal Mesh Pain.
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