Transobturator sling manufacturers put profit over safety despite health authority statements confirming TVT-O “should not be offered routinely…”
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 create catastrophic life-altering pain syndromes and these specific neurological injuries are the basis for some lawsuits based on a failure to warn and design defect. These injuries are serious and significant cases carrying sometimes very large damages because of the cost of the anticipated life-long medical treatment, vocational losses, and compelling and tragic stories of pain and suffering of our clients. They are sometimes physically and mentally devastated.”
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 sometimes poorly worked up in the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), which was largely about erosions. We are dealing with that issue for our clients—many 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 arise soon after implantation or they may occur years later.
“COVID-19 has delayed our trial settings but the outcome is clear…TOTs will be litigated off the market. ” — Dr. Greg Vigna
It is literally amazing that Ethicon, Coloplast, and Boston Scientific’s Board of Directors continue to put profits over safety despite the strong position statements of organizations like England’s health authorities that confirm transobturator slings ‘should not be offered routinely…[I]n the future we feel the TVT-O should only be used in exceptional circumstances, if at all.’
A 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 them because of the potential for punitive damages as the medical literature is clear on this point, there is an anatomical basis of injury, and treating physicians across the country from academic centers are testifying to the complete opposite regarding causation.
I doubt Boston Scientific has forgotten the Salazar 2014 verdict in Dallas where they were hit with a 74 million dollar verdict. To date my firm represents over 25 women with neurological injuries caused by the Boston Scientific Obtryx device and we are marching each case to the courthouse. COVID-19 has delayed our trial settings but the outcome is clear…TOTs will be litigated off the market.
The Vigna Law Group targeted devices include the transobturator slings and mini-slings that insert 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 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. Ben Martin and Laura Baughman are national pharmaceutical injury trial attorneys in Dallas, Texas.
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 click here: https://vignalawgroup.com/ebooks/pelvic-mesh-pain/#page=59
Click here for a FREE BOOK on Vaginal Mesh Pain : https://vignalawgroup.com/publications/
For articles, video resources, and information visit the Pudendal Neuralgia Educational Portal (https://pudendalportal.lifecare123.com/) or https://tvm.lifecare123.com/.
Click here for information regarding sling related complications: https://tvm.lifecare123.com/slingebook.html
Greg Vigna, MD, JD
Vigna Law Group
1155 Coast Village Rd., Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA
1-800-761-9206
References: https://www.immdsreview.org.uk/downloads/IMMDSReview_Web.pdf
https://www.meshmedicaldevicenewsdesk.com/breaking-news-boston-scientific-must-pay-salazar-72-million/
