Most hernia mesh products are made from polypropylene, a type of plastic. Once implanted, this material triggers a continuous inflammatory response known as a foreign body reaction. This reaction doesn’t stop—and it affects each patient differently.
- Chronic Pain & Nerve Damage: The inflammation can lead to ongoing local pain, neuropathic pain, and in some cases, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
- Mesh Failure: In some patients, the body fails to incorporate the mesh properly. This leads to mesh migration, hernia recurrence, and additional injury—such as bowel perforations.
- Obstructions & Sepsis: The body’s inflammatory response can create dense scar tissue and scar plates. These changes cause the mesh to shrink, harden, and become brittle, leading to mechanical failure. The resulting soft tissue banding and traction can trigger bowel obstructions, organ pain, perforations, and even intra-abdominal sepsis.
Whether for inguinal hernia repair, ventral hernia repair, or treating a chronic abdominal wound, the risks associated with polypropylene mesh are serious—and all too real.