Essure Permanent Birth Control Claims On The Rise

03/01/2015 - The complaints concerning the permanent birth control, Essure are getting increasingly difficult for the FDA and manufacturer to ignore. Essure was designed and manufactured by Conceptus, but was later purchased by Bayer. Essure is a permanent, non-surgical sterilization procedure for women, approved by the FDA in November 2002. During insertion of the Essure system, a flexible tube with a small camera called a hysteroscope is inserted through the vagina, into the cervix and up to the uterus. When the fallopian tubes are reached, small metal and fiber coils are placed into the fallopian tubes. The Essure system causes scar tissue to develop in and around the coils, blocking the fallopian tubes, thus preventing sperm from reaching the egg. Follow up after three months is required, wherein a Radiologist performs a Fluoroscopic procedure to confirm that the fallopian tubes are completely blocked for effective birth control.

There are several risks associated with the Essure system. The most common risks are that the tubal blockage occurs only on one side, the uterus and/or fallopian tubes are perforated, pelvic pain and infections. Additionally, women may not be able to undergo further pelvic electrosurgical procedures, such as some types of endometrial ablations, after having the Essure implanted. Thousands of women have reported numerous other painful side effects, which they claim, Bayer failed to warn them about and/or grossly downplayed during its marketing of Essure.

Women across the country are rallying together in regional groups and on social media to share their stories and complaints, regarding what they believe is a dangerous device. The women want the right to seek compensation for injuries incurred and to have the Essure system pulled from the market immediately. Some of the common complaints from women with the Essure device are joint pain, severe pelvic pain, back pain, low grade fevers, fatigue, hemorrhaging, headaches, painful sexual intercourse, infection, device migration and nickel allergies. The groups, some of which have been spearheaded by Erin Brockovich are trying to get Congress involved in the fight to have the product pulled or at least have its preemption status revoked. Essure is a class III device that enjoys preemption from lawsuits and liability because it was approved by the FDA prior to coming on the market. If you or a loved one has been injured by an Essure device, contact the attorneys at Ennis & Ennis, P.A. for a free confidential consultation.