There are a myriad of different options to choose from when deciding how to correct a pelvic organ prolapse, including literally hundreds of variations involving surgical techniques and materials. The severity and type(s) of prolapse you have will partially dictate your choices regarding prolapse repair. The problem is that, although approximately half of adult women in the U.S. have a pelvic organ prolapse to some degree, you generally won’t notice any symptoms of your personal injury from the prolapse condition until:
1. It becomes severe, and/or
2. You pass menopause.
Once your prolapse condition becomes severe enough to cause you to experience symptoms, it is usually difficult to repair. And because your own connective tissues that should support the pelvic organs have become so weakened, most repairs generally won’t last. Some of the most common approaches to treating pelvic organ prolapse include:
1. Pelvic floor exercises (such as “Kegel” exercises). These exercises can help strengthen your own interior support muscles. But they have lesser effect on the ligaments and other connective tissues. Pelvic floor exercises won’t help you once you have passed a certain degree of severity in your prolapse condition. For women in the early stages of prolapse, treatment often combines pelvic floor exercises with a…
2. Pelvic ring (“pessary”) inserted inside the woman’s body to help provide the support she once received from her own tissues.
3. Surgery to attach the organs directly to interior ligaments. When the interior ligaments are already severely weakened, such as through repeated pregnancy and childbirth, this approach will generally provide only temporary relief at best.
4. Surgery using absorbable meshes in conjunction with surgical repair of the vaginal wall and urethra or other damaged tissues to correct a pelvic organ prolapse.
5. Surgery combining the use of non-absorbable mesh (usually arranged as a sling or hammock) with surgical repair of organ tissues. The FDA has issued a warning regarding the risks and frequent complications caused by the use of non-absorbable mesh to correct a pelvic organ prolapse, particularly when placed transvaginally rather than abdominally.
6. Surgery using “cadaver skin” (which is usually not “skin” but rather specially treated animal or human non-epidermal tissues) to form a sling and grafts to repair the prolapse. Anecdotal evidence suggests this approach has better, more permanent results, especially for severe prolapse cases, than mesh repairs to correct a pelvic organ prolapse.
Each woman’s prolapse condition is as unique as she is. Your prolapse condition may actually combine several of the varying types of pelvic organ prolapse. So the approach to your prolapse repair may necessitate special complexity. You could find out what your options may be for your particular prolapse from your physician.
But remember, each physician probably has his or her favored approach to any given problem, so you would do well to consult with different doctors and get different opinions before you make a final choice on your prolapse repair treatment. Not all treatments work well on everyone. And some prolapse repair treatments, such as transvaginal surgical mesh placement, have been shown to be particularly risky with strong probabilities of personal injury and debilitating complications. And these surgeries may be difficult to undo.
If you’ve already undergone prolapse repair treatment, and you’re now suffering because it didn’t work as well as you had been led to expect, we may be able to help. At Denena & Points, we have specialized knowledge and experience in personal injury cases such as surgical mesh repairs. We can’t undo the physical damage you have suffered, but we might be able to help you obtain just compensation for your suffering from the medical industry that caused it. Feel free to call us at your convenience for a free legal consultation. We can discuss your problem and help you explore your legal options. We may be able to help you recover the financial compensation you need to become financially whole again and to pay the ongoing medical expenses that you have from your failed prolapse repair. Call now. (877) 307-9500.