Mesh Implants Linked to Self-Harm and Depression

Women Who Must Undergo Corrective Surgery for Mesh Implants Suffer Higher Risk of Self-Harm and Depression

Mesh Implants

USA- According to bmj.com, when women require surgical interventions to treat complications involving mesh implants, they end up facing a higher risk of being depressed and of harming themselves.

Transvaginal mesh is used to treat women with conditions such as stress urinary incontinence. Many studies have indicated a high rate of complications in patients treated with this device. A recent study conducted in Canada indicated that patients who had to undergo surgery to address medical complications with their mesh implants were more likely to show signs of depression. The risk of depression was determined to be about 21 percent higher in women who required surgery than in those who did not. Additionally, these patients had a risk of self-harm that was about twice as high as it was for other patients.

Researchers say that the impact of midurethral mesh complications could be profound and that many patients continue to have symptoms and complications even after they underwent corrective surgical procedures.

Physicians who treat patients who have complications with mesh implants should be aware of the severe psychological impact of these complications.

As a result of the serious potential side effects and complications associated with transvaginal mesh, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence issued new recommendations regarding the use of these devices. According to the Institute, the devices should be a last resort which doctors only use once all other potential treatments have been reviewed and considered. The recommendations also stated that any complications experienced with these devices should be logged in a national database to keep track of the likelihood of issues in patients who undergo these treatments.