"Kugel Mesh Patch Really Affected My Life"

Huntsville, ALPatients who have the Kugel Mesh Patch implanted to repair their hernia may have to undergo another surgery to have the hernia patch taken out. That's because the patch may be defective, causing serious injury to some patients. Evelyn B. has been told that she has to have a second surgery to take out her mesh. She doesn't have insurance, so it took a long time before she found out why she had so much pain following her hernia surgery.

"I had my hernia surgery and I wasn't healing right," Evelyn says. "I just wasn't healing. I had burning pain and discharge around the surgery site. The burning pain—it was like my belly was on fire. I also had muscle spasms in my side."

"I heard about the [Kugel Mesh Patch] recall on television and I knew right away that's what the problem was."

Evelyn sought medical attention and was told she would require additional surgery to repair the problem.

Unfortunately, Evelyn has endured years of increasing discomfort without knowing what was causing her pain.

"At first, the burning came and went, but now it's a constant," Evelyn says. "I have discharge coming out of my belly button. I'd say the discharge happens commonly. When the muscle spasms, it looks like there's a baby kicking my side. That happens a lot, too.

"It has affected my day to day life. I was a child caregiver and I had to quit because I could not pick up the kids. I couldn't pick them up at all. I can't do laundry because there are two steps up into my laundry room and I can't lift anything over 8-10 pounds, so I can't lift my laundry into the rooms. When I do, I feel a ripping pain in my stomach. I can stand up and do dishes and cook but I can't lift things."

Many patients suffered extreme pain and life-threatening injury after allegedly defective Kugel Mesh Patches were used to repair their hernias. Unfortunately, because of the seriousness of their injuries, they require additional surgeries to fully repair the damage. Each of the surgeries requires recovery time and takes its physical and emotional toll on the patient.

"It has really affected my life and my children's lives," Evelyn says. "I can't be as active with my children as I would like to be. I can't just get up and do anything with them. They are 15, 13 and 10 years old: I've missed many years with them."