Why Is Vaginal Mesh So Problematic?

One in four women suffer from pelvic floor issues. Transvaginal mesh was designed to help women deal with a number of disorders, such as incontinence, a weakened bladder, and pelvic organ prolapse. But, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered all manufacturers to stop distributing transvaginal mesh in April, 2019.

So do you wonder what you can do to treat pelvic floor issues now that mesh implants are no longer an option? Or is a mesh device causing you problems? Neeraj Kohli, MD, at Boston Urogyn is a specialist in dealing with pelvic prolapse as well as vaginal mesh issues. 

What is vaginal mesh?

Vaginal mesh devices, which were made from synthetic materials or animal tissue — such as skin or intestine — were created to repair or reinforce weakened or damaged pelvic tissue. These devices treated stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Stress urinary incontinence is a condition in which urine is unintentionally lost during a cough or sneeze. Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition in which ligaments and muscles supporting pelvic organs are weakened. When support is lost, a pelvic organ may prolapse, or fall out of place. Mesh devices were created to fix these issues.

Why is transvaginal mesh banned?

According to the FDA, there wasn’t enough evidence that the benefits outweighed the risks. There are many different kinds of mesh, and each came with their own complications, side effects, and risks. 

Some of the complications reported were pelvic pain, painful intercourse, and mesh poking through vaginal skin. Many women have benefited from transvaginal mesh, but many others have reported complications, which is why it’s now banned.

What if I have a mesh implant?

If you have a vaginal mesh implant, there’s no need to worry. Dr. Kohli is an expert at treating complications, and he uses state-of-the-art treatments that can restore your vaginal health and quality of life. Depending on your complications, he may recommend surgery to remove the mesh. In this case, he will remove as much of the mesh as possible and repair damage the mesh has caused in your pelvic area.

Other treatments he may recommend include pelvic floor physical therapy, nerve blocks, pain medication, and Botox® injections to reduce muscle spasms.

If you’re experiencing pain due to a mesh implant, or if you’d like to discuss your pelvic health, book an appointment online or over the phone with Boston Urogyn today.