Polypropylene surgical mesh (and coated/composite variants used for hernia repair) · C.R. Bard / Davol (Becton Dickinson), Atrium Medical, Covidien (Medtronic), and Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson) · updated June 2026
Thousands of plaintiffs allege that polypropylene hernia mesh devices caused chronic pain, infection, organ damage, and the need for revision surgery, and that manufacturers failed to warn of these risks. These are allegations that have not been proven in court. In the largest litigation, against C.R. Bard, parent company Becton Dickinson announced in October 2024 that it would pay more than $1 billion to resolve roughly 38,000 federal and state claims — without admitting wrongdoing.
This page is general information about ongoing litigation and FDA safety actions — not medical or legal advice, and not a statement that Hernia Mesh caused any injury. Allegations described here are claims that have not been proven in court. Always consult a licensed professional.
Plaintiffs allege that polypropylene and coated hernia mesh devices were defectively designed and that the materials degraded, migrated, shrank, or adhered to internal organs after implantation, allegedly causing chronic pain, infection, bowel obstruction, organ perforation, and the need for additional revision or removal surgery. They further allege that manufacturers — including C.R. Bard/Davol, Atrium Medical, Covidien, and Ethicon — knew or should have known of these risks but failed to adequately warn patients and surgeons, and in some cases marketed the devices as safe despite internal knowledge of complications. These are unproven allegations; the manufacturers deny wrongdoing, and the settlements reached to date include no admission of liability. This page is informational and is not legal or medical advice.
The FDA has not banned hernia mesh or issued a blanket recall of polypropylene mesh. On its "Surgical Mesh Used for Hernia Repair" page, the FDA states that surgeons use surgical mesh to strengthen hernia repair and reduce the rate of recurrence (and that it may reduce operative and recovery time), while acknowledging documented adverse events including pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, obstruction, perforation, fistula, and mesh migration or shrinkage. The FDA's actions have instead been product-specific recalls — most notably the 2005-2007 Class I (most serious) recalls of Bard/Davol Composix Kugel mesh over a "memory recoil ring" that could break and cause bowel perforation or fistula, plus a 2013 Class II recall of Atrium C-QUR mesh (over coating that could adhere to packaging) and other manufacturer- and lot-specific recalls. The FDA continues to monitor adverse-event reports rather than declaring the devices generally unsafe.
As of mid-2026, hernia mesh claims are consolidated across four federal MDLs. In re Davol/C.R. Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2846, S.D. Ohio, Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.) is the largest, with roughly 23,000-24,000 cases pending; Becton Dickinson announced an October 2024 settlement of more than $1 billion to resolve about 38,000 federal and state claims combined. In re Atrium Medical Corp. C-QUR Mesh (MDL 2753, D. New Hampshire, Judge Landya McCafferty) involves a confidential settlement reached in 2021 with a qualified settlement fund. In re Covidien Hernia Mesh (MDL 3029, D. Massachusetts) is in the bellwether phase, with a first trial slated to begin on July 13, 2026. In re Ethicon Physiomesh (MDL 2782, N.D. Georgia) has been largely resolved through confidential settlements. Case counts shift as filings and dismissals occur, so exact totals should be treated as approximate.