I had TVT operation in September and the tape, made by Coloplast, has eroded through the vaginal wall and was discovered 7 weeks later. I'm in pain and the area is now bleeding. My doctor is not sure what to do. I go back in next month for him to cut some away and do some plastic surgery to mend the eroded area. Should I have him remove the tape?

Any comment would help at this point. 

Its a really difficult and dangerus operation to remove the tape.  I dont know where you are but I had my mesh erosion removed by laser as it was the only option open to me.  Can you locate a urologist who specialises in removing eroded mesh by laser? I had the prodedure in Jnne and so far I am OK.  I do know however, that if the mesh erodes again, then i'll have to have laser again.  If you are in the UK then I can let you know the name of the surgeon.

Kind regards and good luck

Christine

Hi Christine,

 I'm in Massachusetts USA.

Is the mesh the same thing as the tape used in the TVT procedure?

Yes I believe its the same thing.  Just a different manufacturer. Can you finds a urologist that specialises in laser?

I am meeting with my gyn today. I will ask her.

Coloplast made the tape my doctor used. He has done this procedure for 10 years without erosion or problems but since he changed to Coloplast in August 3 out of the 5 he has performed have failed in the same manner.

He feels bad that he changed the material but the Coloplast salesman said that it too had a very low fail rate. I wish my doctor gave me the option to use the old or the new.

 I'm very upset. I WAS a competative triathlete and I'm getting married in June.

The thought of my honeymoon is no longer something to look forward to.

I cant believe that your Doctor had no erosion problems in the 10 years he was doing this procedure, no matter which sort  of mesh he used.   All mesh erodes. I've been in contact with many women who are suffering from Erosion problems after a few month.

Have you though of changing your Doctor?

My gyn said that she has not seen this erosion before either. She was the one who recommended me to him. She directed me to another urologist for a second opinion.

Since he has had 3 out of 5 fail in the past two months I wonder if it was not pulled tight enoght to begin with because I have had this pain in the suture area since day one. Do you think he could just trim it???

I am not a Doctor so cant help you with that kind of advice.  I am just another patient who found herself in a similar situation to you.  I do understand how you feel as before the laser I was in constant pain and desperate for help.  There is a marvellous American website dealing with mesh erosion.  They are far more advanced than us here in the UK and have had conferences, and class action lawsuits against the manufacturers of the mesh.  I suggest you get in contact with them at meshcomplications.com

There was also a Professessor at Dallas that I found who seemed very kind and helpful, but knew nothing about the removal of erosion by laser.  You could contact him.   philippe.zimmern@utsouthwestern.edu

Let me know if I can be of any further help - Kind regards Christine

Hello dlinrich,

I am also from Massachusetts. About 5 years ago my mother had the TVT procedure.  At first everything seemed fine but as time went on she experience urinary tract infection after urinary tract infection. About 3 months ago it was discovered that the TVT Mesh had eroded into her urethra.

Similar to your case, the GYN who preformed the original procedure said he had never seen a TVT erosion case in all his years of practicing. Although he had never removed TVT he convinced my mother he could do it and last mouth she has it removed. 

For years I have not known that my mother was going through all this and just recently started researching TVT online. At this point she is so fed up and overwhelmed with the whole situation and thinks she is the only person who has experienced these complications.

She has a follow up visit in two weeks regarding the removal procedure she just had and I know that she would be very interested in speaking with you about your situation and who your doctor is. She is not the most computer savvy person and is having trouble finding anyone else in Massachusetts who is familiar with her complications.

Please feel free to email myself and/or my mother with your contact information. Being able to share information with someone going through the same situation would be extremely beneficial to her and I am sure she could go into more detail about having the tape removed if you had any questions

Thank you very much

bleakleyd@comcast.net

Mikebleakley15@gmail.com

I have just read your entry with interest and, bearing in mind that it was made over two years ago, would be grateful if you would give me the name of the sureon in the UK who is capable of doing the laser procedure?  I had the TVT procedure 6 months ago in the UK and am really regretting not doing more research into the side effects as these were not highlighted in my pre-op interview.

I am also wondering how you are now?

Margret

The Doctor in London England who treats he erosion by laser is Mr Frank Lee.  He works privately at the Princess Grace and on the NHS at St.Georges Tooting.  His phone number is: 07775 563918  his email is: frank.lee@doctors.org.uk.  His PA is called Deborah Beddington.

I now have had the erosion lasered twice and it has eroded again.  So I have to go back into hospital for another procedure.  Its very distressing but unless I opt for surgery, which is too awful to contemplate, there is no alternative.

I have heard that there is a Doctor Shah in L.A who is removing the tape, and does good work.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.  You have my utmost sympathy.

Kind regards 

Christine

hi, my name is lorena, and i had surgery june 08 tvt sling didn,t evenn go for the sling went because of a little blood in urine and he said i need this minor surgery that he had did hundreds and it would crrect my problem. ive been catherized so many times at er and his office until i quit seeing him because he made me feel like i was a complainer he said i was the only one out of all his patient that has complained. ive been suffering with pain and bloatin can,t empty my bladder and finally found a dr. to see me and she was upset at the fact my first dr. didnt remove the sling especially afteri had complained and had to be caterized so many times durin my follow up til late sept08 she wants to go in and cut sling and said she doult if she could get it all out. i have to caterize myself 5an 6 times aday and the doctor gets by withit and the manufactor gets by with it i dont have money to hire a atty and dont no what to do. i was very active before this surgery and now i dont want to go or do anything.you can reach me at lorena0818@aol.com thanks for listenin, i wish someone could help me with this matter.

Hi Lorena - I'm really sorry that you are having so many problems.  I'm not a Doctor so I cant advice as to surgery and procedures.  What I would suggest is that you find a Doctor that you really feel you can trust and see what he or she suggests and then really research it.

Also look at this website: meshcomplications.com  They are really helpful and useful.

Let me know if I can be of any furthur help and kind regards

Christine

PS  I am in London- England

Hi. I had a TVTO fitted 4 years ago for stress incontinence and initially thought it was a good thing and I was really pleased with the improvement it made to my life. Now, four years on, I have recurrent uti's for which I have been on oral anti-biotics for 15 months. I have also been doing intermittent self catheterisation during that time. I am now almost in constant pain in my loin region and recent laser surgery to the eroded tape was unsuccessful as the tape has embedded into my urethra and laser treatment could lead to damage to this tube. I am totally fed up with the whole situation and would like to have the tape totally removed. (Something which my surgeon says cannot be done, as it is a lengthy and difficult operation.) I have read many articles on the subject on-line, mostly from the USA and Canada and I realise that I am not suffering alone. To be honest, if I knew what I know now I would never have had the tape fitted in the first place! Best wishes and good luck. Rose.

Hello Rose - Are you in England?  I too am thoroughly fed up with this whole situation.  The mesh eroded again 6 months after my first laser procedure and I had to go back into hospital for another laser procedure.  That was a year ago.  I still dont feel comfortable but cant face any more hospitals - Its all terrible but there is nothing I can do.  I cant even sue the Doctor who put it in in the first place.  The only good thing is that there was an article in the Daily Mail on the 16th August 2011 all about this terrible mesh, so at least a message is getting out there.  With kind regards and good  luck - You are not alone.  Christine

I too, have had similar problems.  Years ago, I had the TVT tape op when it was fairly new.  Last year April/May '10, I had yet another UTI.  9 in the last few months previous.  I finally ended up shaking one night, was taken to hospital, and had a very bad UTI again.  had to have antibiotics by IV, as I was close to sepsis.  they put me in touch with a surgeon, who booked me for a look at my bladder.  They thought I had a bladder stone on a scan.  Well, surprise surprise.  The bladder stone was a ball of the TVT tape, rolled up in the bottom of my bladder, and crusted with uric bits, etc.  And also, the tape had grown into my urethra.  this was in June.  I had the surgery, and you were right, my surgeon said he was stunned, and would look online and check with other specialists to find out how to do it.  The next week, he could find nothing, but said he would cut the tape each side of my bladder, leaving the rest in place each side, and would rebuild my urethra.  He did so.  It seems fine, although recently, I have had another bad UtI that took 3 tries with antibiotics to eradicate.  And I now have a burning feeling.  I also have had pain in my buttocks and legs for years and have just been told to take pain killers.  Will be giving this info to my doctor to see if that could possibly be the answer.  i know there is a law suit going on in the states for this, but I am in Canada.  Anyone else also have these problems that were diagnosed years later?