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Mesh removal 'op' for Steph after her year of agony




Pete and Steph Williams, who have become ardent supporters of Sling the Mesh. (SG281017-159TW)
Pete and Steph Williams, who have become ardent supporters of Sling the Mesh. (SG281017-159TW)

Spalding Punchbowl landlady Steph Williams hopes to have a mesh implant removed at a London hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) after spending more than a year in agony.

Steph (62) expected to have a hysterectomy in June 2017 but an hour before surgery she learned the procedure was being switched to a Laparascopic Sacrohysteropexy, the medical name for a surgical mesh implant supporting the uterus.

Only after the op did Steph and husband Pete (64) learn that many mesh implant patients were living in terrible pain, with some in wheelchairs or walking with sticks.

Days ago the Government put a temporary stop on mesh operations for stress incontinence while a review is under way, but there's no such pause for the op that left Steph feeling "like I have got barbed wire in my stomach".

The Williams have already been to Westminster in a bid to have mesh operations banned, and are working alongside the campaign group, Sling the Mesh, founded by journalist Kath Sansom.

Kath says in October, the Government halted operations where mesh was inserted vaginally but the operation that Steph had - where mesh is inserted through the abdomen - is continuing.

The campaigner says its the plastic mesh that's at fault and it doesn't matter whether it's inserted vaginally or abdominally.

Pete says the new temporary ban is a step in the right direction towards an outright ban for all mesh operations.

For now he's focusing on the next few hours as Steph is first on the list for a twin operation, a mesh removal and hysterectomy, at University College Hospital.

He said: "Whatever pain she is in now, she's going to be in a lot worse pain for quite a few months after the operation.

"She is going to be in intensive care for at least 24 hours."

The Williams say Steph's mesh was put in the wrong place, and one of the problems with mesh is that it becomes embedded in other organs.

Pete said: "We've said it before, it's like getting chicken wire out of concrete."

Steph said: "I have spent a year in agony. I just think it (mesh implant surgery) should be completely stopped until it's researched more."

In January, Steph hoped to have her surgery in February but the date got pushed back.

She's got mixed feelings about her operation tomorrow but says: "I am just hoping it doesn't get cancelled because a lot of them have been at the last minute."



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