Safety concerns bring immediate stop to mesh operations

A review into harm reported by women who have undergone mesh operations for stress urinary incontinence has led to NHS England putting an immediate stop to the procedure.

Chair of the review, Baroness Julia Cumberledge, said she was “appalled at the seriousness and scale of the tragic stories” heard by her team.

An estimated 100,000 women in the UK have undergone the procedure, whereby the net-like fabric is attached to the wall of the vagina to support organs to help manage incontinence or prolapse. Although most patients suffer no ill effects, some can go on to suffer life-changing and even life-threatening injuries.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, said the procedure would remain a last resort treatment for some. “Carefully selected patients will continue to have access in discussion with their consultant.”

Baroness Cumberledge said the review had found no evidence to show that the benefits for the treatment of urinary incontinence outweighed “the severity of human suffering caused by mesh complications.”

“My team and I are in no doubt that this pause is necessary. We must stop exposing women to the risk of life-changing and life-threatening injuries. We must have measures in place to mitigate the risk, and those are sadly lacking at the moment.

“At this stage in our review we are not recommending a ban, but a halt to procedures.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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