Description of Event or Problem · 1
IN 2007, I HAD SURGERY FOR REPAIR OF AN INCISIONAL HERNIA. MY SURGEON USED THE PROCEED MESH PATCH BY ETHICON. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I DEVELOPED A FISTULA WHICH PUNCTURED MY BOWEL. AFTER TWO WEEKS ON IV'S AND NO FOOD OR DRINK, I WAS RETURNED TO THE OR FOR REMOVAL OF THE PATCH. I HAVE BEEN IN PAIN AND DISCOMFORT EVER SINCE. I HAVE MADE MANY RETURN TRIPS TO MY SURGEON, AND HE IS KIND AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR THE PROBLEMS. MY INCISIONAL SITE DRAINED FOR ALMOST 6 MONTHS, HAVING STOPPED JUST IN THE PAST WEEK. I HAVE BLOATING, HEARTBURN, NAUSEA, VOMITING, EXTENDED ABDOMEN AND HAVE LOST 20 LBS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE MESH PATCH HAS CAUSED ALL OF MY PROBLEMS. WITHIN A WEEK AFTER MY ORIGINAL HERNIA SURGERY, 2007 I WAS HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DRAINAGE FROM THE INCISIONAL SITE. THIS WAS A VERY FOUL SMELLING, BROWNISH COLORED LIQUID. WE CALLED OUR SURGEON AND HE SAID IT WAS NORMAL TO HAVE DRAINAGE AFTER SURGERY, AND HE WOULD SEE US IN HIS OFFICE WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. WHEN HE SAW ME, HE IMMEDIATELY HOSPITALIZED ME AND ORDERED NUMEROUS TESTS AND X-RAYS. THESE TESTS SHOWED AN INFECTION WHICH THEY TREATED ME FOR WITH LARGE DOSES OF ANTIBIOTICS VIA IV'S. I ULTIMATELY HAD TO UNDERGO A SECOND SURGERY THE FOLLOWING MONTH, TO REMOVE THE PATCH AND REPAIR THE DAMAGE THAT THE FISTULA HAD CAUSED, HAVING MY SMALL INTESTINE AND PART OF MY BOWEL REMOVED.