Sadly many hernia mesh victims suffer testicular injuries and sometimes removal of a testicle. It is often difficult to predict where a hernia patient will feel pain after a surgery using mesh. Part of the unpredictability involved is that the foreign substance can provoke a reaction anywhere in the body. In some rare cases, the hernia mesh may even provoke a severe reaction that can affect the testicles. This can result in anything from pain and numbness to complete removal of the testicle.
Pain in testicles following a surgery
Numerous hernia mesh patients take to the internet and visit their doctors to complain about pain in their testicles following a surgery that relies on mesh. The pain actually stems from somewhere, and it is not just a natural consequence of the hernia surgery. Patients Commonly Have Complications After “Routine” Inguinal Hernia Surgeries
An inguinal hernia is the most common type of procedure. Three in every four hernias are inguinal. It is viewed to be a routine procedure and one that is most commonly fixed using hernia mesh. An inguinal hernia is when part of the intestine protrudes through the abdominal muscles. Patients are usually home within hours of this procedure being performed. However, the experiences of many patients does not end there. They end up with severe pain after the procedure because the mesh that was supposed to help them becomes their body’s worst enemy. What was seemingly minor can become the cause of lifelong problems.
Hernia mesh can shrink or migrate from the site
The problem with hernia mesh is that it can shrink or migrate from the site where it has been sewn into the body. Particles of the mesh can move out of place and irritate, inflame and infect other nearby parts of the body. The problem with the testicles is that they are entirely controlled by what happens elsewhere in the body because they depend on steady blood flow to perform their function. Even if the mesh does not contact the testicle itself, it can cause severe damage when it damages the pathways that carry blood to the testicles.
Hernia Mesh Can Cause Severe Testicular Injuries
One of the rare complications of inguinal hernia repair using mesh is a testicular ischemia. This is when the vessels that course down the inguinal canal are injured. The inguinal canal is a passage in the lower abdominal wall that transmits the spermatic cord, gonadal vessels and lymphatics. At first, the patients will feel intense pain. After a while, the pain subsides, but it does not mean that the condition has gone away. Instead, the damage is still being done, albeit in an undetected way.
Serious Consequences of a Hernia mesh Testicular Injury
Here, the problems caused by the mesh can cause several very dangerous results:
● Depending on the blood flow, one testicle can become larger than the other
● One or both testicles can dangerously swell
● The patient can experience problems with urination
● The patient can develop a dangerous infection
● The testicles can develop an abscess
The blockage of the testicles can be accompanied by hemorrhagic bleeding and become a life threatening emergency. Treatment for these injuries can be grueling and very expensive.
Hernia Mesh Testicular Injuries Need Immediate Treatment
The blockage of the testicles can be accompanied by hemorrhagic bleeding and become a life threatening emergency. Treatment for these injuries can be grueling and very expensive. This is considered to be a urological emergency and requires immediate treatment. Even then, it may still be too late to help the patient. The problem is that the condition may be chronic, and the patient may not understand the severity of the situation. The damage to the testicle because of inflammation or the cutoff of blood. When blood is cut off from the testicle, even for a short period of time, it can cause the testicle to shrink and lose its function. When that happens, testicular removal is often the surgical procedure that doctors must perform. The effects of losing a testicle can be devastating both psychologically and physically.
Testicle removal
Testicular damage does not necessarily happen because of an injury in the testicle itself. Simply cutting off the flow of blood above the testicle can irreparably damage the testicle itself. If the spermatic cord becomes twisted or inflamed, it can stop the flow of blood to the testicle. When the testes die, the injury is permanent. Patients can entirely lose testicular function and even their fertility.
You Can Possibly Recover Financial Compensation for Hernia Mesh Injuries
Testicular damage is another on a long list of harms that have been caused by hernia mesh. Most often, this synthetic material can cause severe pain when the mesh wears down and disintegrates. However, it is difficult to predict exactly where in the body this plastic will impact because it can move anywhere once it disintegrates or migrates. While testicular damage after a mesh surgery is rare, it is one of the more severe side effects.
If you or a loved one have been injured by hernia mesh, you may be eligible for significant financial compensation from the company that made the defective product. Right now, there are tens of thousands of hernia mesh lawsuits in federal court that are waiting to be decided. The initial cases will be going to trial in the coming months. Even if the defendants manage to score an early win or two, it does nothing to take away their large potential legal liability for the tens of thousands of people who have been injured by this common but dangerous product.
Damages in a Hernia Mesh Lawsuit
Injured plaintiffs may be entitled to the following types of damages in their defective hernia mesh
lawsuits:
● The complete costs of your medical bills to treat your condition, including the cost of revision surgery
● Pain and suffering (this can be significant because of the continuous agony in which hernia mesh patients find themselves)
● Emotional distress and trauma
● Loss of enjoyment of life
An experienced hernia mesh lawsuit attorney can help you file a lawsuit against the company that made the mesh that is causing you extensive suffering. When you call a lawyer for a free consultation, they will ask you some questions and learn more about your case. Your attorney could then file a lawsuit on your behalf, seeking compensation for your injuries.