Mesh implants should not be routinely offered to some woman, panel concludes

Mesh implant procedures must not be offered routinely to women with pelvic organ prolapse, a report has found.

A panel concluded patients should be offered a range of treatments - mesh and non-mesh - and must be given the information to make "informed choices''.

In doing so, they voiced serious concern that some women who have suffered complications following mesh implant surgery have felt they were not being believed - a factor which added to their distress.

Experts also called for the mandatory reporting of all mesh procedures and "adverse events''.

The measures in the report on the use of transvaginal mesh implants have been accepted by Scotland's Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Catherine Calderwood.

Synthetic transvaginal tapes and meshes are used in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Thousands of women in Scotland have been treated using the implants but some have suffered painful and debilitating complications.

In June 2014, then health secretary Alex Neil asked health boards to suspend the use of the implants after a campaign by women who have suffered serious side effects.

An independent review was also set up, with its final report made public on Monday.

The report concludes that no surgery is without risk and sets out various recommendations to minimise any potential risk.

The report sets out eight conclusions to improve the safeguards available; one being that "transvaginal mesh procedures must not be offered routinely''.

"However, for the majority, such serious complications do not occur.'' This IR (independent review) has shown that mesh procedures for both SUI and POP carry a risk of complications which, in some cases, are life changing and cannot be corrected,'' the report notes.

Another recommendation states that "women must be offered all appropriate treatments (mesh and non-mesh)'' and they should have access to understandable advice to help them make informed choices.

The report says: "The IR expressed serious concern that some women who had adverse events felt they were not believed, adding to their distress and increasing the time before any remedial intervention could take place.''

The review also called for improved training for clinical teams involved in mesh surgery and more research into the safety of the products.

Responding to the report, Dr Calderwood said: "On behalf of the Scottish Government I am today accepting the conclusions of the review group. It is vital that women are given all the available information before they decide whether to go ahead with a mesh procedure. It is also right that all adverse events are properly reported so that we can continue to improve safety and positive outcomes.

Earlier this month, MSPs raised concerns over the independence of the review group. The issue was brought to Holyrood after some women who suffered complications following mesh implant surgery resigned from the group.

"We must remember that this review came about because of the tireless campaigning of women who have been negatively impacted by mesh procedures. It is right that we recognise the courage of these women, which has brought us to this point today.''

Labour MSP Neil Findlay said the review had been ''completely compromised''. Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw said he had been contacted by others within the group who were "astonished at the wholesale removal of certain chapters'' from the report.