The last bellwether trial against C.R. Bard, which was supposed to start on December 3, 2013 is being keenly awaited by the thousands of women who have pending claims against this mesh manufacturer. They are optimistic that like the previous cases against the same defendant, the decision of the jury will be favorable to the complainants.
 
It would appear that they have to wait till early January next year to hear the jury’s decision. This developed after Judge Joseph Goodwin of the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia issued a court order postponing to January 10, 2014 the hearing of the vaginal mesh lawsuit filed by Carolyn Jones and her husband. 
 
So far, two lawsuits have been resolved in court with the juries handing out decisions finding C.R. Bard liable for the injuries suffered by the plaintiffs. Two other claims were also settled by C.R. Bard before trials can even begin.
 
It is the belief of many that the outcome of this trial will determine the course of action that Bard will take. Should the decision favor the plaintiffs, they are hoping that Bard will decide to settle all other pending cases.
 
Read More: Final C. R. Bard Bellwether Vaginal Mesh Trial Postponed Until January

A study which was published recently in The Lancet revealed that hysterectomy or the surgical removal of the uterus may not only result to vaginal vault prolapse but may also increase the risk of urinary incontinence. Women who had hysterectomy are more than twice as likely to submit to an operation for urinary incontinence in the future, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden say. 
 
Hysterectomy is the second most common surgical procedure in the United State with over 600,000 operations performed annually, next only to a caesarian section operation. This surgical procedure may be performed for treating medical conditions such as uterine fibroids, irregular heavy menstrual bleeding, and to repair a prolapse of the uterus. On the other hand, with over 18 million women believed to be affected, urinary incontinence is the most common pelvic floor disorder. 
 
Dr. Daniel Altman and his team of researchers, in undertaking this study, gathered data on 644,766 Swedish women using a nationwide hospital discharge registry for the years 1973 to 2003. Of this number, women who had hysterectomies totaled 165,260 while the other 479,506 women who were of the same age bracket did not have any operations involving the removal of the uterus. 
 
Analysis of the data indicated that regardless of the type of hysterectomy performed; women who had their uterus removed were 2.4 times more likely to have surgeries for urinary incontinence. This risk was found to be highest within five years from time the uterus was removed although the risk remains during the patient’s lifetime. It was further revealed that the risk of getting incontinence was higher if the hysterectomy was done before their menopause or after giving births several times. 
 
Although it has been long suspected by medical specialists, the results of this study may have validated the connection between urinary incontinence and hysterectomy. To both the patient and the attending physician, this confirmation may have significant implications. 
 
Before making a final decision, a woman who might consider having a hysterectomy may be made aware of the risks involved in such a procedure. On the part of the healthcare provider, knowledge of this possible consequence may prompt her to assess the circumstances more carefully before suggesting this procedure. 
 
In view of the controversy surrounding vaginal sling procedures, a treatment method for SUI favored by many urogynecologic surgeons, these findings become even more significant. Thousands of patients have reported experiencing severe complications as a result of using these surgical mesh devices. Included in these complaints of severe complications were those experienced by women who were recommended to have sling procedures together with the removal of the uterus. 
 
Serious injuries causing pain and suffering, permanent disability, and considerable physical deformity have been reported by thousands of patients who were implanted with these mesh devices. These have compelled patients to take legal actions such as filing of vaginal mesh lawsuits against different mesh manufacturers. 


References:
sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071026095008.htm
webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20071025/hysterectomy-may-up-incontinence-risk