Ethicon’s hernia mesh is a type of plastic (polypropylene) material designed to match the compliance of the abdominal wall. This mesh is often used in minimally invasive surgeries, also known as laparoscopic operations, to repair abdominal hernias or other issues related to connective tissue beneath the skin that require a reinforcing or bridging material.

Thousands of people each year suffer from a hernia, which is a bulge of tissues that can develop in several parts of your body for various reasons. A hernia can be present at birth or may develop over time due to increased pressure in the abdominal cavity. Some situations that can cause such pressure include pregnancy, lifting excess weight, a strain or trauma, chronic cough, increased fluid in the abdomen, and tumors or masses.

There are various types of hernias, which are often classified by their anatomical location. For example, an abdominal hernia is when an organ or piece of tissue begins to protrude through a weak spot in the abdominal wall from its normally contained space. One of the most common types of hernias is a ventral hernia, which occurs in the abdomen at the site of a previous surgery. According to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), approximately 350,000-500,000 ventral hernia repairs are performed each year in the United States.

Hernia mesh was also commonly used in transvaginal implant procedures to repair issues such as pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) – conditions that typically occur in women after a hysterectomy, menopause or childbirth.

Some of the adverse side effects reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for hernia repair surgery and associated with hernia mesh include infection, pain, intestinal complications, formation of a mass/lump/bulge, adhesions, vomiting, nausea, fever, redness, revision surgery, or recurrence of the hernia. To learn more about the complications associated with hernia mesh, see our Complications page.