FDA Hernia Repair Surgical Mesh Info

Share

FDA has posted an online information page on the surgical mesh used for hernia repair. The page defines hernias and their types and causes, treatment options, surgical mesh, and additional resources.

On the page, FDA discusses non-surgical and surgical options for treating hernias and explains how surgical mesh is used to provide additional support to weakened or damaged tissue. “Hernias have a high likelihood of developing again, and surgeons often use surgical mesh to strengthen the hernia repair and reduce the rate of it happening again,” FDA says. “It is generally accepted that most hernia repair surgeries in the U.S. use mesh.”

The page notes that based on the agency’s analysis of medical device adverse event reports and peer-reviewed scientific literature, the most common adverse events for all surgical repair of hernias, with or without mesh, are pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesions, obstruction of the small or large intestine, bleeding, fistula, seroma, and perforation. For mesh repairs, it says, additional adverse events include migration or contraction of the mesh.

Read more