Surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse has different shapes and configurations according to which organs it is intended to support. The transvaginal mesh pictured is for prolapsed bladder, and urinary incontinence support.
Transvaginal mesh may be made of polypropylene. This material can degrade within the body and cause inflammation, act as host to bacteria, and erode through the vaginal or bladder walls.
Once surgically placed, the host tissue attaches to the polypropylene. If complications occur, scar tissue can cause contraction of the mesh to less than half it’s original size, placing tension on any attachments and causing pain.
This mesh is called “transvaginal” because it is surgically placed within the body through an incision in the vaginal wall, thus “through the vagina”.
