Holt has become a poster child for growing concerns about the government process that allows devices such as surgical mesh — made of the same material as Rubbermaid storage containers — to be used with no testing on patients before they’re allowed on the market.

So, what we need is more deregulation, right?

LOL.

I do believe in deregulation. In things that can't hurt you and/or kill you. And for everything else, people need to get a clue that if you don't want to go back to living in a cave, there is a point to having a government that is supposed to monitor things.

Cookykamp -- You are so right, it's only profits that matter. What scoundrels. We're harping on the Chinese for dumping unsafe products on the market but we are no better. As far as deregulation is concerned, Derek, hasn't it become clear that with anything deregulated where big profits are concerned, people will be ripped off, cheated and mistreated. There are too many people for whom there is only one god, and that's the god of money. I, for one, trusted my surgeon when he assured me those "nets" were safe and effective. I never once assumed they were never tested and were made of tupperware plastic.

The overhaul we need is for the entire medical industry to be non-profit. That is the only way to (mostly) avoid some people profiting off of others' suffering.

I got a knee replacement about 2 1/2 years ago because of pain associated with severe osteo-arthritis. The surgeon "forgot" to tell me that 1) I would never be able to kneel on that knee again without severe pain, 2) that 80% of knee replacement patients regret the decision (the medical industry claims just the opposite) or 3) that virtually every knee and hip replacement has or will be recalled because of "excessive metal ions in the bloodstream" as the body's immune system attacks the device.

I am considered "extremely successful" and "very satisfied" because I only experience about 70% of the pain before the replacement. And, unlike surgical mesh, a knee replacement cannot be removed except by amputation.

The FDA has come to be controlled by MDs with no college degree, and no training that would allow them to design, conduct, or evaluate clinical trials of either drugs or devices. Over 80% of MDs at the FDA have refused to disclose financial links to the fot-profit medical industry. Of the20% who have disclosed, 72% have financial conflicts of interest. A job, any job, at the FDA is an easy way to make a bundle with little work and no skillset.

Soulmaster, you are so right.

Deregulation!

Cut even more funding to the FDA and EPA!

It's market-based Capitalism, the patient didn't have to use their surgical mesh!

Let the market decide it!

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

But he was the doctor, so Holt, a 50-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, agreed to the operation.

"Well, you're the doctor!" Is a phrase that should be banned. There are plenty of competent doctors out there, but with all the mix-ups that happen in hospitals, you can only trust them so far. RESEARCH!

Not that's any excuse for what happened to this woman. Terrible. How can the FDA approve this, but still classify marijuana as a Schedule I substance? "Highly addictive" when there is ZERO scientific proof of it being addictive. Let me guess why... money is the bottom line.

The mesh being used has been tested in patients for many years. It is polypropylene mesh that has been used for hernia repair for decades. It is the new application of the mesh that is causing the problems.

Unfortunately, the use of the device once it is sold to the surgeon is regulated by the surgeon and the hospital board, not the FDA.

FDA ( pharmaceuticals included )... will instead focus their resources on bringing out drugs like Cialis, Viagara, botox, clean skin enhancers and other enhancers as a top priority!!

The bias in the article is so obvious my the quote "surgical mesh — made of the same material as Rubbermaid storage containers" An attempt to question the material that the mesh is made from?

What purpose does that serve? I drink water, the same material used to cool a nuclear reactor.

The base plastic may be the same, but one is medical grade, with much more traceability.

lol...good point Shot, all it can do is try to arouse revulsion for those that don't understand chemical compounds or medical grade quality, etc... :)

Jesus christ I'm so sick of uninformed people making these blanket statements. DRUGS are not MEDICAL DEVICES. PHARMACEUTICALS are NOT MEDICAL DEVICES. Different industry, different companies, different regulation/oversight. Google CDER and CBER not FDA. Google Becton Dickinson not GSK. If you are going to slam an entire industry which helps millions of people per day at least get it right!

This is why I do not take any drugs that have not been on the market less than 10 years. I'm at an age where hip replacement might be a coming actuality, but look at the recalls. We can't trust the FDA, and haven't been able to do so since Reagan dumped all of his buddies into positions there - all of them taking bribes from Big Pharma and the Med Device people.

There is no trust for the FDA in our home.

And now we know why those malpractice insurance payments keep going up. It is not frivolous lawsuits but those untested medical devices.

RaisedByWolves,

What do you suggest as the alternative? At some point, some patient will be the first to have a new device.

I agree with you about waiting as long as possible before signing up for a new drug or device. On the flip side, some conditions are so severe that people are willing to take those risks even without knowing all the possible outcomes. Many medical devices and many drugs that start clinical trials are never completed because they do not provide the benefits that they were expected to produce.

In Europe, it is much easier to get a new device to market and in fact almost all new devices have several years of use there prior to clinical trials in the US and approval by the FDA.

Most people are really thinking Big Medicine but say Big Pharma when they talk about such thing

MmmMmmBeer....calm down...you will raise your BP too much... and might need a Big Pharma med.. ;)

It is an easy thing to overlook rather than argue the semantics of it...most people are tired of what they perceive and often reported as the control of healthcare and its practices by these large medical product companies and how they have too much control.

You're absolutely wrong about knee replacement removal. Knee replacement replacement occurs all the time. Amputation isn't the only option. If someone told you that, they're wrong. I doubt it was anyone in the medical field. LOL, did you learn that on a bb? A knee replacement lasts 20 years on average. Then it's replaced, and not by amputation, either.

But you can walk, right? So, how much pain do you have now?

I, too, have had knee replacement surgery. No one guaranteed me that I'd be the same as I was before the surgery. I didn't expect that I would. What I don't have is the same body-wracking pain I had before my severely damaged knee was replaced. Without knee replacement, my only other choice was to start using a mobility scooter. I was unwilling to do this or to begin relying on a wheelchair. I wanted to remain mobile. Evidently, so did you.

For me, there was no other option. I'm grateful to be able to walk now without a cane and without pain. It's true that kneeling is painful. Are you overweight? If you are, that's what hurts when you kneel. In addition, that's why you needed your knees replaced. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings here, it's the truth. Knee replacement for osteoarthritis arthritis is much more frequent for the obese. I was overweight, too. I've lost 12 sizes and I'm now the average size of women in America, 14.

Your statistics and your claim that there are Medical Doctors in the FDA without college degrees are questionable. It is impossible for a Doctor to be a physician without a college degree.

Your inability to construct a sensible argument makes all of your claims ridiculous.

As a physical therapist I help in rehabilitating patients constantly that have had hip and knee replacements. They do well, and have great relief of pain. Recalls are rare. Pain with kneeling occurs with a few total knee patients, but it is a small price to pay for the relief of pain and good function in almost all other areas.

Personally, I have had two hernia repairs, both using plastic mesh for support. I've never had another problem.

Hi, armurray. I know that there is quite a quandary about what to do, but one thing that would be nice is to clean house at the FDA. No one with ties to the AMA, to Big Pharma allowed.

Europe has research people creating their drugs/devices, and then it is passed through a very different set-up. Of course, almost every country in Europe has free medical for their people; so there is no incentive for the people passing on the devices/meds to push them out before they are tested and shown to not have lethal effects.

Knee replacements are replaceable. Most people are supposed to wait as long as possible to get one, because they are supposed to last 20 years. But the new ones last longer. and they work great. I saw a man I had assisted with his knee replacement run up a flight of stairs two weeks after his surgery.

I wouldn't hesitate to have the mesh used in a hernia repair. But anything that is going to be under the effects of gravity might cause trouble iin the pelvic region. I had a vaginal sling done and they didn't use mesh, they used a cadaver tendon. And it was a wonderful surgery. And its lasted now for 9 years.

As for pain upon kneeling. I have that now! with my own natural knee. I work at saving my knees. I don't squat down--ever! (hard to get up too). I am aware of basic body mechanics at work as a nurse. Because my back and my knees are my ticket to working until retirement. I'm 59 now, and hoping it all holds out until I can retire.

At 65, I installed a ballet barre and am doing gentle, but basic barre exercises. If I'm doing it right, I don't feel it in my knees at all; but the tolerance measurement is minute. A twist here to there, and I'm down for a soft tissue injury.

This is an example of why Doctor have Malpractise insurance, because a lot of them are not good doctors period.

Also why 2nd and 3rd opinions are warranted for unusual conditions.

Before any invasive procedure for everyone.

RaisedByWolves,

I might be inclined to agree, if I felt that Congressional oversightand intrinsic poloitical considerations have not also been added to the mix. Only a few years ago, the complaint was that the FDA was too lethargic and too particular. That millions were being denied life-saving drugs and products because the "establishment" was protecting its own. Your "house-cleaning" will be ineffectual if we only replace the current structure with new politically appointed "lice".

I have to say I had the same op and had good results except for some nuisance bleeding from a pice of mesh, which was clipped in an additional procedure, and now I'm fine, but I will be watching closely!

I too had the mesh inserted in 2005 and I'm very pleased to say that I've not experienced any side affects from it. My concern from reading this article, and one that was run yesterday in Chicago, is that the mesh will eventually deteriorate. I will be following up with Dr., although I'm not sure of what alternatives we have, if any.

Most replacement devices give a timeframe for how long it is expected before you might need replacement...check with your doctor (or look in the information you were given before consenting to the surgery if you still have it)

I had the same thing in 2008. Worked great, no side effects for me.

Same here, surgical plastic mesh lining my abdomen for a triple hernia repair. It was a second surgery because the traditional surgery without mesh failed horribly...for me there was no option but the mesh.

So far so good. Some of us can't wait for others to go first, our internal organs are in danger of falling out or have been removed and need reconstruction so we have to do what we have to do.

The mesh is good when used for what it was designed for--hernia repair. I had two umbilical hernias fixed with just incisions and stitches and it seems to just move the opening to the side of the stitched area. So I'm opting for a mesh in my last (HOPEFULLY).

The most wonderful result I had with stress incontinence, was a vaginal sling, with a cadaver tendon (radiated and made safe). They wrapped it under my bladder, and screwed the ends into my pubic bone (the old surgeries used to wrap the tendon around the abd muscles, which would sag again with age). mine is screwed into the bone. it will not sag. It took a long time to heal completely inside, because its not considered healed until the cadaver tendon is completely covered by my own skin. But its been over 9 years and its still working very well.

My mom, both grandmothers and one aunt had this procedure with the mesh and it has changed their lives! It has worked wonders! I know my Aunt said she can have sex again ( she and her husband are happier than I have seen them in years)

Pelvic prolapse is now believed to be caused by bigger babies and tends to happen with women that have had more than 2 full term pregnancies. There is a prediction this will be one of the most common procedures now that women are living longer and babies are bigger.

Keep up the research and we will have better mesh procedures soon.

Does that mean it is now called an 'erode-genous' zone??

Well, he might. He is a douche nozzle.

Unfortunately, no. The entire republican party (and about 1/2 of the democrats) were bought and paid for by big business a long time ago.

It's easy these days to predict how ANY political issue (this one included) will turn out. Just ask yourself, "which outcome would best serve big business, regardless of whether or not it would hurt other people" -- and you'll know the winning side. Every time.

Funny: my Retardican friends all complain that I just don't understand Big Bidness and how all those super-rich people create all those jobs and how the crumbs-from-the-table effect benefits all of us. As soon as I heard that the Gang Of Nine (5 majority) had ruled that corporations were "natural persons," just like you and me, I knew that the downhill slide was about to begin in earnest. It has. It's not going to be very long before the widening gulf between the super-rich and the rest of America is going to create some interesting social and economic tensions we've never seen before. Wonder if Sen. Boner [sic] sees the disconnect coming, and the political tsunami with it?

It's not going to be very long before the widening gulf between the super-rich and the rest of America is going to create some interesting social and economic tensions we've never seen before.

No, this kind of gulf has been seen before. It was most noticeable in France on July 13, 1789, just before the storming of the Bastille.

junicon..... I bet you politicize everything don't you. I bet Bush and Cheney probably invented the mesh and profited from it. lets see ALL republicans and half the democrats, so that means all republicans are evil but there are some democrats with redeeming qualities. It is a real shame that people like yourself are allowed to vote and that is why we have a president that is such a joke because God knows that you have to always vote Democrat because the Republicans will surely burn your house down and kill your Grandparents

Perhaps you aren't old enough to have experienced any of the slippage problems.

I'm going to get a little gross, but truthful!!! Some women have to push everything back in all the time. Some have a great deal of difficulty sitting a certain way or urinating due to the slippage. There are other problems too...like never getting the bladder totally empty. And sex is almost impossible at some points!

You need to research before you make such a general statement! And a lot of women will never admit most of these conditions!

The "tuck" operation doesn't always work and in many people can come undone by simple lifting. Someone needs to come up with a better procedure!

Pinecone, I would think that in those intances it would be obvious that something must be done and a sling procedure might be just the thing. I guess my post is more about doctors doing it without first ruling out other causes. That is what my doctor did and luckily I saw through her greed. Believe me, if a doctor is making money off of something, the truth can get a little grayer. I don't have a problem with anyone getting this procedure when the benefits clealy outweigh any negatives.

1) Not all doctors are greedy. My husband is a military doc and believe me, he doesn't get paid nearly what civilian docs do. So please don't make blanket statements like that. Did you know that the doctors who are expected to be able to do the most good for their patients by keeping them healthy and avoiding procedures (family practice docs) are also some of the least well-paid? Due to this disparity and massive students loans required to pay for med school, fewer and fewer med students are choosing family practice as a specialty. It's not always greed - often it's a need to repay all that schooling.

2) If we gave a @!$%# about making all people healthy, we'd actually see that we desperately need universal health care, which would pretty much eliminate the desire of doctors to do procedures unnecessarily with the goal of getting a higher fee.

We weren't really talking about military doctors here. Of course they aren't as greedy as civilian doctors. The military is actually a very good model for how well Universal healthcare could work. I have actually posted twice on here today as to my support for Universal or National Healthcare. So, Jen R we are in agreement. I don't think you should have taken offense to my statement as it was obvious we were not discussing the military. With private civilian doctors you see a lot more greed.

marinon, You said

We weren't really talking about military doctors here. Of course they aren't as greedy as civilian doctors. The military is actually a very good model for how well Universal healthcare could work.

Another broad, unfair sweeping generalization...many who go into the military for medical careers do so, get the training and set up very lucrative practices WITHOUT incurring all of the debt of those who use loans to obtain their medical education. Many ex-military docs expect to earn just as much if not more than their non-military counter-parts once in private practice because of their years of experience. As to the military being the model for universal healthcare...okay, I am up for that. Suing the military for malpractice is a whole lot harder than it is the private practitioners (if you can even sue the military medical entities). By the way, you don't seem to have read about how many in the military go outside of it for certain types of care, even if they have to pay for it. The VA has had enormous amounts of unfavorable press over the past several decades (though I think efforts have been made to improve that). Universal health-care would be a wonderful thing. Having citizens who take responsibility for their health and do what is necessary at the primary and secondary levels of care so they don't progress to the tertiary might be the outcome so we all win.

By the way, marionmom, I am glad you became an informed consumer of medical care! Good for you that you didn't just take the doctor's word for it...though I am not sure I agree with you, the doctor just wanted to make money off of you...that would be malpractice- which costs a whole lot more than made on doing procedures...I think it was more just not knowing all that was occurring at the time in your body....hopefully, imaging techniques allows for things like an oversized uterus to be seen prior to surgery. Good for you though...and Mayo Clinic does have a wonderful, user friendly website.

Whatever

My problem came from a tomato allergy, which I diagnosed myself. I gave up the V8 and no longer have a problem with leakage. Voila!

As I'm watching the news, some shyster outfit is already advertising a mesh-related lawsuit. I'm running around with a piece of mesh in my body and it worked fine for several years, but it seems to lose some of its efficacy. My very reputable surgeon told me they were safe (in retrospect, what did he know) but the effect might wear off somewhat after 10-15 years. Now what?

A huge problem is that doctors take what big business pharma says as gospel. They don't continue their own educations. So you have pharma marketers telling doctors what to prescribe, and what medical devices to use - who's interests do you think these marketers are going to serve - their own sales, or unknown patients?

Big pharma is a complex problem...we need it in order to "solve" some of the problems (develop the vaccines, the treatments, do the research & development, etc...) BUT a deficiency of independent testing can create the type of problem you describe jrae...Most healthcare providers DO continue their educations (you really have to stay current or risk not only giving lower quality care, but being downright dangerous) but there is so much of the "who is paying for the research" that has to be considered, it can be mind-boggling.

jrae, device manufacturers are not pharma. Regulations are very different between drugs and devices.

There is a huge amount of testing when a new device is brought to the market. That is why it takes years to develop a new device.

Also important to realize here is that this is actually the same material as being used in the older, more conventional abdominal entry sling surgeries. The difference being that this surgury is being done through the vagina. The supposed benefits are no visible scars and faster healing times. However, all intra-cavity surgeries, which are basically endoscopic, require surgeons with specific training and skills. Plus these procedures may require anchoring the mesh to less stable or suitable sites, since the surgeon has limited access.

This does not preclude be angry at the mesh provider, however. Providers of implantables frequently work with surgeons to develop new techniques. Then send surgeons or even lay trainers around the country, teaching this new procedure and application (and wider market) to other surgeons.

The mesh is covered with antibiotics. These gradually dissolve, giving your body a chance to adapt to the foreign substance over time. Some immune systems may be unable to adapt to the mesh. Is that what's causing the problem? Unknown. Time and research will tell.

Doctors lie.

The article should raise your awareness so you have this checked regularly to make sure it doesn't develop into a problem. Remember that it doesn't happen to everyone who has the procedure.

Doctors, like everyone else, can be SOLD on a product by slick pharma reps!

It has happened enough for class action suits, JJMurray.

marinmom - And that is about the biggest condemnation you can make.

That's the point, JJ.

marinmom...The point is not about the doctors and lying about the products or procedures (which is just stupid). It is about how the testing for these medical devices and products does not meet the rigorous standards required for pharmaceuticals going into the body. The point is that the FDA standards for allowing these devices to be used has to be tougher or we will continue to see more problems like this.

And, if people keep trying to blame the physicians instead of the makers of the products and neglect to demand the FDA increase its standards, it is going to end up the physicians decide they will stop doing the procedures because of enormous malpractice insurance rates...just as that drove many ob/gyns to stop delivering babies....the insurance was making them go broke. You have to look at the bigger picture, not just one aspect of it...cause and effect here not just the end point.

They do go through rigorous testing. The same mesh has been used for hernia repairs for more than 20 years. The problem is that new uses of the devices are not necessarily regulated by FDA since doctors can use an approved device in "off-label" applications which have not been approved by the FDA in the original application.

For a device company to market a device for new applications, they must obtain an IDE and perform clinical trials to prove the efficacy of the new application.

Oh please. I worked for a Fortune 200 Pharmeceutical company. Tell me something I don't know.

Yes, I have deduced that you "know everything" there is to know about doctors and medicine in general, marinmom, based on your comments and the rest of us should just listen to you based on your experience with one doctor and from working for a pharmaceutical company. It just is so amazing that you have gained such an in-depth and accurate perspective on the situation and others know nothing.

Whatever.

Did the surgery help you, Jennit? Is your problem solved?

I think if the doctor is aware of the potential issues that it should be discussed with the patient and options presented. But for many people surgical mesh works just fine so I don't think it should be off the table, just a choice for the informed patient.

100,000 procedures in 2010 with 3,000 complaints that year and fewer in previous years. That works out to a pretty low percentage depending on how many are performed each year. Sounds like the MAJORITY of the times this procedure works and works fine without major side effects so why would they stop using it?

It sounds to me like they just need to increase their monitoring of the patient after this procedure to catch any complications early.

Yes, JJ...certain characteristics of both patients and the manifestations of a condition can be the cause of failure....but people want 100% which is unrealistic.

No problems here. And love having my life back.

No complications here, either.

Conventional surgery failed me. I spent 4 months with a Wound Vac because my wound dehisced. It was horrible and painful and inconvenient.

Corvette to haul a new refrigerator home.

I have done that. Ok, it wasn't much of a 'Vette to begin with. And the refer should have been junked.

Well, hey, it didn't say in the manual "don't use the car to haul refrigerators".

They were probably paid off with big bonuses.

I work for a medical device developer so wanted to help clarify something.

The class of devices meshes fall into is called Class 2, which follows the 510k approval process. This does NOT mean that new devices of this type can be introduced to the public without testing. however, it does mean that the testing/study needed may not always include human clinical trials. Often, physical, chemical and preclinical testing is done to support safety and efficacy claims. So the title of the article is misleading in that these are NOT "untested" devices.

One size does not fit all when it comes to medicine, or politics

Or religion.........

Or discussion boards........

Amen!

Yes, Rodney...you are right...but everyone still wants to sue when something happens and scream and cry that something should have been done to prevent the problem before hand

That's really different then the bladder procedure they are discussing in this article. In that procedure the mesh is eroding into the vagina. You don't have that with an inguinal hernia repair.

Angie, you need an attorney. Do a search on the internet for attorneys dealing with the bladder sling procedure.

I hope you get the answers you are looking for soon. I can't imagine the doctor not wanting to make things right, and if he can't at least have the courtesy to speak directly with you. My doctor told me I need a hysterectomy due to a large fibroid but I said no due to me fear of complications. And doctors wonder why we all don't jump into surgery.

Good point. This is why I have been trying to convince people that we need National Healthcare. It would eliminate a lot of corruption in medicine.

Many of our ancestors lived long productive lives without all of the sophisticated medical interventions we "enjoy" today. We might actually be better off without many of the surgeries and medications they peddle these days. Eating better foods, losing weight and exercising more may be the best medical treatment we can give ourselves.

That is true Sherlock but women suffered horribly and often died young. No, I don't want the bad old days back. The day I got my hysterectomy was the happiest day of my life. Until that day I hated being a woman.

At the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, the life span was about 40 years, Sherlock. Women died in childbirth at a high rate. Yes, a very few men and women lived long lives but the chance it would be you or I was not high. It would have been like winning the lottery.

People died from infectious diseases like cholera, yellow fever, they died in childhood from measles, mumps, malaria, chicken pox, they died in infancy from whooping cough, polio, smallpox, pneumonia, and at all ages from burst appendixes.

Heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure was a deadly disease to every sufferer until we learned how to keep pressure down in the 60s and 70s.

If you're serious about your statement then you're not so bright. All the good food, exercise and weight loss in the world won't protect anyone against a deadly staph infection such as killed thousands in the past. Look into history and learn something, why don't you? Lockjaw killed thousands of people every year until a vaccination against tetanus was developed in 1924. In WWI soldiers died like flies from tetanus because of infected wounds. It was a horrible death.

You take a great deal for granted, Sherlock. Your handle does not seem to be an appropriate one, considering your attitude about the world and your lack of awareness. Sherlock Holmes had a brilliant mind. Yours is somewhat lacking in knowledge.

Peridot ...you make me "green" with envy at your subtle way of telling someone to "think a little better" or wont of a better phrase...a yellow-green, but green none the less. Nice post.

Peridot,

Let me also sing the praises of a well-writ reply.

If I might add, history not only favors the battle's victors, but those at the top of society. So when we do read about those who survived into middle-age and beyond, we read about those who had better diets, more freedom, and fresh air and sunlight. We do not read about those trapped in the shops, the mines, or what we would call slums today. Gout, somewhat common today, was considered a rich man's disease in the time of Henry VIII, because only the wealthiest could drink red wine on a routine basis. The wine, and his class, protected the drinker from cholera, typhus and diphtheria, common killers of the day. By having adequate food and clean stores of good water or wine, many were even able to avoid the Plague. But all we read of those without those resources are estimates, either of the time or at a later date. The Paris Catacombs are filled predominately with the remains of the dead from the Plague, relocated to make room to rebuild Paris in the 1870-80's. Perhaps the largest collection of human bones on the planet.

Your age would be the biggest consideration. I recommend you read read read everything you can find on the internet about this procedure. I also recommend Mayo Clinic's website.

You really need to get to the bottom of the reason why you have stress incontinence. It may not be because of bladder slippage. If you have diabetes (or even pre-diabetes) this could be the real issue. This procedure could do you more harm than good. If you have not had a hysterectomy I would consider that too. Your uterus could be enlarged and causing the problem. Some of these conditions can only be diagnosed AFTER the hysterectomy.

marinmom, I would totally agree with you in regards to keeping incredibly informed and finding the reason behind the symptom. I would be VERY hesitant, however, to recommend a hysterectomy to anyone...the changes it makes in how the body functions are immense. An enlarged uterus can be diagnosed and treated without ANY kind of surgery. bckinch, You need to find a Urologist and/or GYN you trust and present them with your symptoms and your concerns about treatment options. Good luck!

I have had the hysterectomy and the only changes are that I have a little pain after intercourse but it BY FAR outweighs keeping my uterus. I kept my ovaries so I did not go through menopause. I don't think you know much about what you are talking about, TinStars. Maybe you are thinking of the old hysterectomies.

I can see how I was unclear, marinmom - I wouldn't say a hysterectomy is dangerous, or a bad procedure. And yes, I was thinking of the old hysterectomies (If you mean removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries). I completely agree that in most cases today they are SO WONDERFUL for the women who get them! I just think of young (20's - 30's) friends of mine who have had hysterectomies who had hormonal issues, Ovarian failure, one actually has heart problems now, not to mention the long recovery time. No, I'm not a doctor, and no, I haven't had a hysterectomy; so I'm not an expert. I just know what I've seen. Hopefully people take posts on message boards with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to their health and well-being ;) That's also why I said I hoped she took her concerns to a doc she trusts so she can get their professional medical advice.

I guess I could/should have just said "I would hesitate to recommend surgery," not just hysterectomies. I am genuinely glad that you feel so much better after yours, though! And I think you are offering a lot of wisdom to some of these posters which is great :)

I had cadaveric sling surgery in 2001 for bladder incontinence, and have never regretted it for a minute! My life was hell prior to that, couldn't sneeze, laugh, bend over, but after surgery it is bliss. Key word here is CADAVERIC sling, not "rubbermaid" sling....why did the medical profession and providers get away from using natural materials? I am sure there is no shortage of cadavers, and it is made from a tendon, which is sterilized to the nth degree, then slit at intervals so it expands when stretched. I know because I made the surgeon show it to me before I was anesthetized for surgery. Don't dismiss the type of surgery if you need it, but DO ask if there are alternative materials to the questionable synthetic ones.....

They got away from it because there is a risk from disease that can't be ruled out to the 100% certainty (yes, even ones we don't know about...prions for example, are still new ground). Sterilization may not be enough, especially for things yet unknown- which is what people make the biggest fuss over when looking back at the history of medical treatments....thinks once thought to be efficacious and the best treatment available turning out to be disastrous later as new knowledge is discovered.

Also, the failure rate has been reported as being higher in some types of surgeries than using some of the devices/materials or with autograft replacement.

But your advice to ask about alternatives is excellent!

No, I'm not a doctor, and no, I haven't had a hysterectomy

Hey jump right in. It might help your attitude.

And it seems that in this case the vast majority of people who have this procedure are fine. So where does the line get drawn for what is unacceptable? How small of a percentage of patients is too big? 3%? 1%? .001%?

So let's apply this to aircraft. Let's say that 3% of every flight of an Airbus A3xx crashes and kills everyone on board.

Let's apply this to automobiles. Let's say that 3% of Toyota Camry's sold in the US have sudden steering loss resulting in loss of control, massive injury and death.

Are you implying that a 97% success rate is acceptable? Are you saying, and I think you are, that it is perfectly acceptable for people to suffer massive injuries or death with known safety issues with a medical device?

wahoo....Acceptable risk is always a factor in that it is 1. never able to be determined as being 100% fool proof in all cases (there are always individual factors that can create differing outcomes) 2. the demand for what can be done is often made to benefit the many

Look at vaccines...they have changed life for...well, for all, but there will still be instances where there may be adverse effects for the few ...the risk analysis is based on HOW MUCH GOOD WILL BE DONE for the many (reduced outbreak with deaths or serious effects) so 100% is not realistic for a goal.

Unfortunately you are a victim of a medical industry that is rewarded based on volumes of drugs and devices sold, not on the success of those products. I hope you find a solution to your situation.

Get an attorney Angie.

You've posted this story twice.

Hi Angie...hope you get some relief and resolution soon.

Angie...do not give up! I know what constant pelvic pain is like. I have been going through intensive myofascial release physical therapy...and I am so much better than I was. You can get better. I did not have the same procedure you did but had a lot of trauma and scar tissue. Please investigate this for yourself. You can go to myofascialrelease.com. You can call therapists in you area and they will be glad to help you. They have given me my life back! Good luck!

Get an attorney....

So the traditional method is fraught with risks and failures and this mesh procedure has apparently from the numbers given a low failure rate. Now which is better?

this mesh procedure does NOT have a 97% success rate or even close to that. the statistic ignores the fact that 40% remain incontinent, some have mesh erosion, some must have the mesh removed (no small job), some have pain, some have to catheterize themselves for the rest of their lives because the mesh has overcorrected their problem. claiming a 97% success rate is just plain lying.

@Cristine Kent: Prolapse of the uterus and prolapse of the vagina ARE gynecological problems.

Yes, it's the same mesh.

I have known of five people who have had some sort of "repair", all abdominal, and in each and every case they say they wish they'd never had it done since they experience pain and an uncomfortable feeling.

It's not the great tool it's made out to be.

There is a class action lawsuit for the hernia mesh based on a recall of it or something along those lines not too long ago.

I went to a great doctor who did my hernia surgery a few years back and asked him what he thought about surgical mesh; he said he didn't use it because of concerns he had about it. He said he would only advise it's use for an elderly person with poor muscle tone.

He performed the "classic" repair on me and I have had zero issues; no lingering pain or sensations whatsoever. I remain grateful for his wisdom and sound advice.

The problem with the surgical mesh occurs when it is used for prolapse repair in women. It is not a problem with hernia repair.