Description of Event or Problem · 1
MESH WAS IMPLANTED FOR PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE AND URINARY INCONTINENCE IN 2008. I EXPERIENCED PAIN, BLADDER INFECTIONS, AND BLOOD IN THE URINE. I RETURNED TO MY DOCTOR, WHO LOOKED FOR EXTRUSION OF THE MESH INTO MY VAGINA, BUT FAILED TO DO A CYSTOSCOPY TO CHECK FOR EROSION INTO THE URETHRA AND BLADDER. HE SENT ME HOME, SAYING HE COULD CUT THE MESH, BUT I WOULD BE INCONTINENT; OR I COULD PUT UP WITH THE PAIN. NOW, THREE YEARS LATER, WITH FRANK BLOOD IN MY URINE, I WENT TO A UROLOGIST WHO FOUND THAT THE MESH HAD SAWED ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH MY URETHRA. SHE RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE SURGERY TO REMOVE THE MESH AND RECONSTRUCT THE URETHRA; THIS WAS DONE THREE DAYS AGO. I WILL BE OUT OF WORK FOR THREE WEEKS, AT HOME WITH AN INDWELLING CATHETER; AND MY URETHRA IS PERMANENTLY SCARRED. I WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO CAREFULLY MONITOR MY ABILITY TO FULLY EMPTY MY BLADDER AND POSSIBLY HAVE RECURRENT PAINFUL PROCEDURES TO KEEP MY URETHRA OPEN, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I AM (B)(6) AND VERY ACTIVE. PRODUCT USE ERROR: MESH INSTALLED IMPROPERLY, OR MESH AN UNSAFE COMPONENT OF A URETHRAL SLING. PHYSICIANS NEED TO BE WARNED: CHECK PATIENTS COMPLAINING OF PAIN WITH CYSTOSCOPE; REPEAT LATER IF PAIN CONTINUES. DO NOT IGNORE URETHRAL OR VAGINAL PAIN IN A PATIENT WITH THIS HISTORY. CHECK URINALYSIS FOR HEMATURIA (BLOOD IN URINE).