Connie C. Pinkerton of Ohio has filed a product liability complaint against Pennsylvania-based Endo Pharmaceuticals and Minnesota-based American Medical Systems. Her attorney, James D. Barger, filed the civil action August 6, 2012. Pinkerton, after having had the Elevate Prolapse Repair System implanted in her body during a surgery, has since experienced physical and mental pain and suffering, sustained permanent injury and physical deformity, has undergone and will have to undergo corrective surgery or surgeries, and has suffered financial and economic loss, allegedly. She had the product implanted to treat her pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence, the suit states.

The lawsuit claims that emerging scientific evidence suggests the material used in the pelvic mesh products is biologically incompatible with human tissue and can cause an immune response that promotes degradation of the pelvic tissues and contributes to other severe adverse reactions as well. The complaint accuses the companies of underreporting and withholding information about the dangers of their pelvic mesh products, and of failing to perform adequate testing and research.

Had Pinkerton known the true facts about the dangers of the product, the suit claims, she never would have undergone the surgery.