Pudendal Neuralgia Lawsuit

Pudendal neuralgia is a severe side effect of transvaginal mesh implants that causes long-term pelvic pain and nerve damage.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting transvaginal mesh induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with pudendal neuralgia, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What is Pudendal Neuralgia?

Pudendal neuralgia is a painful side effect of transvaginal mesh implants. It is caused by damage to the pudendal nerve, which is a major nerve in the pelvis and genital area. Pudendal neuralgia is also sometimes called pudendal nerve entrapment, neuropathy, or Alcock canal syndrome.

Symptoms of Pudendal Neuralgia

One or more symptom can be an indicator of a nerve injury:

Groin pain
Hip pain
Pain with sitting
Tailbone pain
Anorectal pain
Burning/stabbing pain
Labia majora pain/burning
Clitoral pain or numbness
Severe pain that makes vaginal penetration impossible
Inability to wear tight pants
Painful bladder/Painful bladder filling
Pelvic or genital pain
Tingling, burning, or discomfort
Pain gets worse when sitting down
Pain improves when standing or lying down
Sexual dysfunction (numbness or pain during sex)
Urinary incontinence
Bowel dysfunction
“Full” feeling in vagina or rectum
Bladder pain
Pain from actions that do not normally cause pain (allodynia)
Ilioinguinal nerve block

Vaginal Mesh and Pelvic Pain

Transvaginal mesh implants cause pelvic pain in approximately 6-9% of women, according to the FDA. Furthermore, experts such as Dr. Greg Vigna estimate that 1-2% of women who have filed transvaginal mesh lawsuits are suffering from pudendal neuralgia, with a lifetime cost of treatment that can easily top $2 million.

Can Vaginal Mesh Cause Pudendal Neuralgia?

Pudendal neuralgia can occur as a direct injury during the surgery to implant transvaginal mesh or a transobturator (TOT) sling. Pudendal neuralgia can also occur months or years afterward, as a result of the body’s immune system rejecting the mesh and causing inflammation.

When the immune system rejects a mesh implant, it causes chronic inflammation that can irritate the pudendal nerve. Over time, the growth of scar-tissue may compress or damage the pudendal nerve.

Surgery for Transvaginal Mesh Nerve Damage

Unfortunately, surgery may be the only option for women who are suffering from pudendal neuralgia as a result of transvaginal mesh. The problem is that complete removal of the mesh may be impossible because the mesh is designed to be a permanent implant. Even if the mesh is removed, the pelvic pain and other symptoms may persist.

Treatments for Pudendal Neuralgia

Spinal cord stimulators
Physical therapy
Pudendal nerve blocks
Neurolysis
Botox injections to the pelvic floor
Nerve surgery

Were You Misdiagnosed?

In women, doctors often mistake the symptoms of pudendal neuralgia for other conditions — such as endometriosis or interstitial cystitis. Both of these other conditions also cause pelvic pain, bowel problems, inflammation, pelvic pressure, and discomfort during sex.

Pain When Sitting is Telltale Symptom

Doctors say the most reliable sign that a woman actually has pudendal neuralgia is if she feels pain while sitting. The pain typically goes away if she stands up, lies down, or sits on a toilet seat.

Unfortunately, many women suffer for years without a proper diagnosis. This is because few gynecologists and urologists have an extensive knowledge about nerve damage in the pelvic area.

What is a Pudendal Nerve Block?

A pudendal nerve block is a common treatment for pelvic pain associated with pudendal neuralgia. The procedure involves an injection of an anesthetic medication and sometimes an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid directly into the pudendal nerve.

Do I Need Surgery?

If a pudendal nerve block fails to stop the pain, surgery may be necessary. There are several different types of surgery, but the overall goal is the same — removing scar-tissue around the pudendal nerve, and/or relocating the nerve to give it the space it needs to heal.

Can the Pudendal Nerve Heal Itself?

Yes. So long as the nerve is not cut off, it will heal over time. Sensory nerves such as the pudendal nerve are particularly resilient, and can recover sensation months or years after an injury.

What is Obturator Neuralgia?

Long-term pelvic pain may also be caused by obturator neuralgia, which is a type of nerve damage that involves the obturator nerve. It is a serious nerve injury that is caused by compression or entrapment of the obturator nerve due to vaginal mesh, scar-tissue, or inflammation.

The most common symptoms include:

pain in the thigh or groin
leg weakness
numbness in the thigh on one side

What is an Ilioinguinal Nerve Block?

Vaginal mesh implants can also severely damage the ilioinguinal nerve in the pelvis, resulting in chronic pain and other symptoms. Treatment may involve a procedure called an ilioinguinal nerve block, in which a doctor injects an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medications directly into the ilioinguinal nerve to stop the pain.

Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits

More than 100,000 lawsuits have been filed by women who were injured by transvaginal mesh and slings. The manufacturers have paid nearly $8 billion in settlements after being hit with dozens of multi-million dollar jury verdicts in courtrooms all over the U.S. The lawsuits accuse companies of failing to warn about severe side effects.

Class Action Lawsuits

Instead of a class action, transvaginal mesh lawsuits are centralized in MDL No. 2327 under the Honorable Joseph R. Goodwin a single federal court in West Virginia.

Our lawyers are not filing a class action lawsuit for transvaginal mesh. Instead, we are filing individual lawsuits for women with pudendal neuralgia who were injured by transvaginal mesh. We want to work with you to seek financial compensation for your injury, medical treatment, long-term injuries, decreased quality of life, and more.

Do I have a Pudendal Neuralgia Lawsuit?

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