Product Liability · Hernia Mesh
Hernia Mesh
Multiple active MDLs — Bard, Ethicon, Atrium, Covidien
Hernia mesh is a surgical patch used to reinforce weakened abdominal tissue. Certain polypropylene and coated mesh products have been tied to a pattern of failure — adhesion to bowel or organs, chronic pain, infection, mesh migration, and revision surgery. Federal cases are proceeding through several ongoing multidistrict litigations.
Background
What this litigation is about.
Hernia mesh implants are supposed to strengthen the abdominal wall during and after hernia repair. In practice, plaintiffs allege that certain products were sold without adequate warning about how the polypropylene and coatings degrade in the body, shrink, adhere to bowel or organs, or trigger chronic inflammation.
The largest hernia mesh MDL centers on Davol/C.R. Bard polypropylene devices — including the Ventralight ST, 3DMax, Perfix Plug, and PerFix — pending in the Southern District of Ohio before Judge Sargus. Bellwether trials have produced a mix of outcomes: notably a $255,000 plaintiff verdict in Milanesi v. C.R. Bard (2022) and further jury verdicts in subsequent bellwethers.
Parallel litigation over Ethicon Physiomesh, Atrium C-QUR, and Covidien Parietex mesh is proceeding in other federal MDLs and state courts. Some tracks have moved into settlement inventories; others remain in active litigation.
Reported injuries
Complications documented in this litigation.
Adhesion & bowel obstruction
Mesh adheres to intestine or organs, sometimes causing blockage.
Chronic pain
Ongoing groin, abdominal, or pelvic pain that persists long after surgery.
Infection
Mesh becomes a chronic source of infection requiring removal.
Mesh migration or contraction
The patch shifts or shrinks, distorting anatomy and causing new hernias.
Fistula formation
Abnormal connections between organs — a serious complication of certain mesh.
Revision surgery
Additional operations to remove failed mesh — often difficult and incomplete.
Who may qualify
An honest self-check.
You had a hernia repair with a mesh implant (Bard, Ethicon Physiomesh, Atrium C-QUR, Covidien, or similar).
You developed adhesion, obstruction, chronic pain, infection, or a fistula tied to the mesh.
You underwent — or your surgeon has recommended — revision surgery to remove or repair the mesh.
You can identify the surgical date and, ideally, the mesh product used (operative records usually list it).
Key events
A timeline of what has happened so far.
2000s
Widespread adoption of polypropylene and coated hernia mesh products in U.S. hospitals.
2016
Ethicon withdraws Physiomesh from the global market after post-market data shows elevated revision rates.
2018
JPML consolidates Bard/Davol polypropylene hernia mesh cases as MDL 2846 in the Southern District of Ohio.
2020–2023
Bellwether trials in MDL 2846 begin; verdicts include plaintiff wins (Milanesi ~$255K) and defense wins.
2024–2026
Continued bellwether trials, negotiations, and settlement inventories across the Bard, Ethicon, Atrium, and Covidien tracks.
Frequently asked
Questions answered plainly.
Information current as of 2026. This page is for general information only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case statuses, MDL orders, and settlement terms change; call our office for a current review of your specific situation.
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