Is the promise of £125,000 tempting medics to back vaginal mesh?
Is the promise of £125,000 tempting ‘cash-hungry’ medics to back vaginal mesh? Victims accuse private surgeons of wanting to ‘double their salary’ by fitting the controversial implants
- EXCLUSIVE: Mesh is dubbed the ‘biggest medical scandal’ since thalidomide
- Thousands of women have been maimed by the controversial implants globally
- Tireless fights by campaigners, backed by MailOnline, were rewarded last week
- Officials declared a temporary ban on mesh being used to treat incontinence
- However, the British Society of Urogynaecologists slammed the decision
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Hundreds of private surgeons have been accused of being ‘cash-hungry’ by pushing women to undergo barbaric vaginal mesh surgery.
Campaigners have today unearthed data that reveals urogynaecologists can ‘double their salaries’ by offering the controversial procedure in their own clinics.
Calculations by prominent group Sling The Mesh show surgeons can earn an extra £125,000 by giving four women mesh each week privately.
Vaginal mesh, made of brittle plastic that can curl, twist and cut through tissue, has been branded the ‘biggest medical scandal’ since thalidomide.
Thousands of women have been maimed by the controversial implants globally, left on the brink of suicide, unable to work and reliant on wheelchairs.
A landmark NHS audit in April confirmed that thousands of women have been forced to suffer unbearable pain because of their controversial vaginal mesh implants.
Tireless fights by campaigners, backed by MailOnline, were rewarded last week, when officials declared a temporary ban on mesh being used to treat incontinence.
But the British Society of Urogynaecologists, made up of NHS and private surgeons with ‘flashy websites’, attacked the decision as going against the NHS’ own rulebook.
‘Meshed up’ victims claim the stance of the surgeons, who they describe as ‘misogynistic bullies’, is ‘because they fear their luxurious lifestyles may take a hit’.
Thousands of women have been maimed by the controversial implants globally, left on the brink of suicide, unable to work and reliant on wheelchairs (Sling The Mesh campaigners are pictured outside the Houses of Parliament)
Kath Sansom, founder of the 6,300-strong Sling The Mesh group, attacked the BSUG for choosing money over the safety of thousands of women
Number crunching by Sling The Mesh shows private urogynaecologists can earn nearly £125,000 extra a year by operating on four women with mesh each week.
It believes four operations is a feasible amount, as before the scandal emerged the risky procedure was hailed for taking just 20 minutes.
Gynaecological surgeons – who earn in the region of £90,000 – can receive fees of £589 for privately fitting TVT – the most common type of mesh, according to Bupa.
This means, in theory, they could pocket £2,356 a week or £122,512 a year, if they had no holidays and each women paid for the procedure.
Sling The Mesh argued this figure could be on the low end, as many surgeons may find time to fit more women with TVT each week, and charge for consultations.
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In contrast, gynaecological surgeons can receive £548 for privately fitting a Burch colposuspension, another method to treat incontinence, which takes three hours.
Kath Sansom, founder of the 6,300-strong Sling The Mesh group, attacked the BSUG for, what she feels could be, choosing money over the safety of thousands of women.
She told MailOnline: ‘If you look through some of the members in the group, you can see plenty of surgeons have flashy websites for their own private practice.
‘By implanting a TVT into four women each week, they can pretty much double their salary doing private hospital work. They’re cash-hungry.
‘It’s pretty obvious that their position on vaginal mesh is … down to them living in fear that their luxurious lifestyles may be taken away from them.
Vaginal mesh, made of brittle plastic that can curl, twist and cut through tissue, has been branded the ‘biggest medical scandal’ since thalidomide
Tireless fights by campaigners, backed by MailOnline, were rewarded last week, when officials declared a temporary ban on mesh being used to treat incontinence (Sling The Mesh campaigners are pictured outside the House of Commons following a debate earlier this year)
WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT AUDIT INTO VAGINAL MESH, AND WEREN’T THEY JUST SUSPENDED?
PROLAPSE BAN
Health watchdogs Nice already announced the controversial surgery should only be banned for prolapse – when organs fall out of place, and not incontinence.
Sling The Mesh attacked that decision, announced in December, as they estimated around three quarters of women were given vaginal mesh to treat incontinence.
And the group also urged officials to add a suspension onto the use of rectopexy mesh, used for rectal prolapse, amid evidence it can also maim women.
NHS AUDIT
An NHS audit that delved into the effects of mesh, released in April, shone a light onto the true scale of disaster caused by vaginal mesh.
The risks of complications from mesh were shown to be around the 45 per cent mark – unlike the repeated assertions by the NHS it is no more than three per cent.
The dangers of mesh for prolapse and incontinence, common medical issues after childbirth, were almost equal, despite Nice only recommending a ban on the former.
TEMPORARY BAN
Tireless fights by campaigners, backed by MailOnline, were rewarded last week, when officials declared a temporary ban on mesh being used to treat incontinence.
Baroness Julia Cumberlege, leader of the review into vaginal mesh for incontinence, called for the immediate suspension of the implants.
It is not a complete ban, but a halt to implementing mesh until a list of five strict conditions laid down by ‘appalled’ reviewers have been met.
But victims hope it sets the groundwork for an outright ban, as the review has so far found no evidence the benefits of mesh outweigh the severity of human suffering.
Baroness Julia Cumberlege, leader of the review into vaginal mesh for incontinence, called for the immediate suspension of the implants last Monday
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR LIFTING THE PAUSE OF SURGICAL VAGINAL MESH?
The conditions of lifting the pause in the use of surgical mesh, which should be met by March 2019, are as follows:
1. Surgeons should only undertake operations for SUI if they are appropriately trained, and only if they undertake operations regularly;
2. They report every procedure to a national database;
3. A register of operations is maintained to ensure every procedure is notified and the woman identified who has undergone the surgery;
4. Reporting of complications via MRHA is linked to the register;
5. Identification and accreditation of specialist centres for SUI mesh procedures, for removal procedures and other aspects of care for those adversely affected by surgical mesh.
‘They don’t want to lose their opportunities for paying the mortgage off early, driving a flash car, luxury holidays, or settling school fees.
‘Their aggressive denial that mesh is a problem smacks of misogyny and continues to undermine the severity of suffering.
‘They are riding rough shod over patient experience with a “we know best attitude” and giving bad advice to the Government on the safety of mesh implants.’
The BSUG’s parent group, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said it was ‘committed’ to ensuring the safety of women.
A spokesperson said last week: ‘The RCOG is committed to working with others to meet the conditions set out by the review.’
But, in a statement issued after the decision to immediately suspend the use of mesh for incontinence, the BSUG declared it ‘strongly opposes’.
In a letter, signed by its chair Professor Jonathan Duckett, it wrote: ‘This decision is not based on any scientific logic or thinking.
‘This is the single most researched incontinence procedure in the world, and to therefore place a suspension on its use contradicts all the research, scientific evidence and guidance issued by national bodies.
‘This procedure has been the mainstay of surgical treatment for women with stress incontinence over the last 20 years.’
It added the decision ‘goes against several key principles of the NHS constitution, including its accountability to the public, communities and patients it serves’.
Baroness Julia Cumberlege, leader of the review into vaginal mesh for incontinence, called for the immediate suspension of the implants last Monday.
WHAT ARE VAGINAL MESH IMPLANTS? THE CONTROVERSIAL DEVICES THAT HAVE BEEN COMPARED TO THALIDOMIDE
WHAT ARE VAGINAL MESH IMPLANTS?
Vaginal mesh implants are devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in women.
Usually made from synthetic polypropylene, a type of plastic, the implants are intended to repair damaged or weakened tissue in the vagina wall.
Other fabrics include polyester, human tissue and absorbable synthetic materials.
Some women report severe and constant abdominal and vaginal pain after the surgery. In some, the pain is so severe they are unable to have sex.
Infections, bleeding and even organ erosion has also been reported.
Vaginal mesh implants are devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in women
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MESH?
Mini-sling: This implant is embedded with a metallic inserter. It sits close to the mid-section of a woman’s urethra. The use of an inserter is thought to lower the risk of cutting during the procedure.
TVT sling: Such a sling is held in place by the patient’s body. It is inserted with a plastic tape by cutting the vagina and making two incisions in the abdomen. The mesh sits beneath the urethra.
TVTO sling: Inserted through the groin and sits under the urethra. This sling was intended to prevent bladder perforation.
TOT sling: Involves forming a ‘hammock’ of fibrous tissue in the urethra. Surgeons often claim this form of implant gives them the most control during implantation.
Kath Samson, a journalist, is the founder of Sling The Mesh
Ventral mesh rectopexy: Releases the rectum from the back of the vagina or bladder. A mesh is then fitted to the back of the rectum to prevent prolapse.
HOW MANY WOMEN SUFFER?
According to the NHS and MHRA, the risk of vaginal mesh pain after an implant is between one and three per cent.
But a study by Case Western Reserve University found that up to 42 per cent of patients experience complications.
Of which, 77 per cent report severe pain and 30 per cent claim to have a lost or reduced sex life.
Urinary infections have been reported in around 22 per cent of cases, while bladder perforation occurs in up to 31 per cent of incidences.
Critics of the implants say trials confirming their supposed safety have been small or conducted in animals, who are unable to describe pain or a loss of sex life.
Kath Samson, founder of the Sling The Mesh campaign, said surgeons often refuse to accept vaginal mesh implants are causing pain.
She warned that they are not obligated to report such complications anyway, and as a result, less than 40 per cent of surgeons do.
Vaginal mesh has been subject of various legal proceedings across the world, with figures suggesting more than 100,000 are suing manufacturers of the devices (Sling The Mesh campaigners are pictured outside Parliament earlier this year)
It is not a complete ban, but a halt to implementing mesh until a list of five strict conditions laid down by ‘appalled’ reviewers have been met.
But victims hope it sets the groundwork for an outright ban, as the review has so far found no evidence the benefits of mesh outweigh the severity of human suffering.
Baroness Cumberlege described the ordeal of hundreds of women who were brave enough to speak out about their mesh ordeal as ‘compelling’.
ISN’T VAGINAL MESH ALREADY BANNED?
Nice, which advises the NHS, announced the controversial vaginal mesh surgery should only be banned for prolapse – when organs fall out of place, and not incontinence.
It is believed of the women in Sling The Mesh who have been given the controversial implant, three quarters were fitted with the device to treat their incontinence.
The Nice verdict came after the Government released its three-year investigation into the mesh scandal last September. It rejected calls for a ban at the time.
It followed the landmark news from New Zealand that all forms of pelvic mesh would be banned – becoming the first major country to do so.
Officials in the country declared in December they would remove the controversial implants from supply and limit the use of surgical mesh products.
Tireless fights by campaigners, backed by MailOnline, has also led to Australian health officials making a similar move for prolapse operations.
Watchdogs in the country banned the use of vaginal mesh implants for prolapse earlier in the same month after a review found benefits ‘do not outweigh the risks’.
Both the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England accepted her recommendations, which included a list of five criteria that need to be met for the pause to be lifted, including reporting every procedure to national database.
But the BSUG, which has around 500 members, claims to have ‘achieved and fulfilled’ the criteria listed by Baroness Cumberlege.
The full recommendations of the review, announced by former Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt in February, is expected to be publicised next year.
A BSUG spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The BSUG represents urogynaecologists in the UK and remains committed to providing women with the safest and most effective treatments for a range of conditions.
‘It is committed to patient safety and believes that any decision regarding treatment for women must be based on sound and rigorous evidence.
‘Synthetic tapes for stress urinary incontinence are an effective treatment for women who suffer from this debilitating condition and for some women may be the only feasible option.’
Health watchdogs Nice already announced the controversial surgery should only be banned for prolapse – when organs fall out of place, and not incontinence.
Sling The Mesh attacked that decision, announced in December, as they estimated around three quarters of women were given vaginal mesh to treat incontinence.
And the group also urged officials to add a suspension onto the use of rectopexy mesh, used for rectal prolapse, amid evidence it can also maim women.
A Government audit that delved into the effects of mesh, released in April, shone a light onto the true scale of disaster caused by vaginal mesh.
ONLY 2% OF WOMEN SUFFER PAIN FROM MESH, SAYS BSUG – DESPITE NHS ADMITTING 45% WILL HAVE COMPLICATIONS
Less than two per cent of women suffer chronic pain from their scandal-hit vaginal mesh implants, according to the BSUG.
The surgeon group last week released the results of its much-awaited audit into the complications of the brittle plastic.
Nearly 180 consultants recorded any side effects from 4,993 incontinence procedures for the report, which began in 2013.
But only 3.7 per cent suffered any complications. And pain persisting longer than 30 days was reported in 1.9 per cent of patients.
This is in stark contrast to an NHS audit earlier this year, which found the risks of mesh complications are around the 45 per cent mark.
Sling The Mesh today criticised the BSUG audit as being a ‘waste of time’ because it ‘won’t have captured all mesh problems’.
The campaign group said many mesh patients don’t show any problems until after their six week check-up.
Professor Jonathan Duckett, chair of BSUG, was one of four authors of the audit, published in the International Urogynecology Journal.
The BSUG sent thousands of vaginal mesh patients this questionnaire as part of its audit, which began in 2013
The risks of complications from mesh were shown to be around the 45 per cent mark – unlike the previous assertions by the NHS it is no more than three per cent.
The dangers of mesh for prolapse and incontinence, common medical issues after childbirth, were almost equal, despite Nice only recommending a ban on the former.
WHAT WAS THE THALIDOMIDE SCANDAL?
Thalidomide was the medication given to pregnant women to combat morning sickness between 1958 and 1961.
It was withdrawn after doctors noticed an increase in the number of deformed babies born to mothers who had been on the drug.
After a long battle, the families affected received total of £28 million in compensation, paid out by the drug manufacturer during the 1970s.
All forms of pelvic mesh are already banned in New Zealand after a landmark move in December, and a similar move against use in the treatment of vaginal mesh for prolapse has been made in Australia.
The Scottish Government put in place a suspension in the use of mesh for SUI in 2014, following years of campaigning by outraged victims.
Vaginal mesh has been subject of various legal proceedings across the world, with figures suggesting more than 100,000 are suing manufacturers of the devices.
Despite the risks, widely publicised over the past year, most women experience no problem and doctors are adamant the procedure is beneficial.
The scandal came to light last April, when the NHS tried to dodge media attention over the implants that left hundreds of women in agony.
Senior doctors immediately called for a public inquiry into the controversial mesh, with some claiming the scandal could be akin to thalidomide.
At the time, 800 women were suing the NHS and device manufacturers. However, it is unsure how many women are now looking to take action in Britain.
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