One in 15 women need surgery to remove vaginal mesh implants

Thousands of women have had surgery to have vaginal mesh implants removed in the past decade, NHS figures obtained by the Guardian show.

The figures suggest that around one in 15 women fitted with the most common type of mesh later need surgery to have it extracted.

The implants have been used as an alternative to traditional surgical approaches for treating urinary incontinence and prolapse, conditions that can comply occur after childbirth.

For most women the operation is successful, however, there are concerns over the severe complications large numbers of patients suffer from, including chronic pain, mesh cutting through tissue into the skin and being left unable to walk or have sex.

NHS Digital records show that between 2006 and 2016 just over 75,000 trans-vaginal tape (TVT) implants, the most common implant, were fitted. During the same timeframe, more than 4,900 procedures were carried out to remove the implant, which is around 6.5 per cent of the number put in.

More than 1,000 removals were also carried out for a second type of mesh, transobturator tape (TVT-O) which had been inserted in 44,000 women over the time period.

Johnson & Johnson, whose subsidiary Ethicon produces one of the most widely used mesh products, released a statement saying: “We empathise with those patients who have had complications associated with pelvic mesh procedures, but we believe it is important to recognise that their experiences do not speak for the vast majority of women whose lives have been improved through treatment with pelvic mesh devices.”

The company is fighting a major class action in Australia and could face legal proceedings in the UK.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) added: “In common with other medical device regulators worldwide, none of whom have removed these devices from the market, we are not aware of evidence which would lead to the conclusion these devices are inherently unsafe if used as intended.”