Bard’s Ventralex hernia patches and Ventralight ST mesh are among the most widely used Bard hernia mesh products, and they were the products at issue in the first two federal Bard bellwether trials. People who received them have filed claims alleging bowel adhesions, obstruction, chronic pain and repeated revision surgeries. If you had a Ventralex or Ventralight ST mesh and suffered severe complications, you may have a claim for compensation.
What Are Ventralex and Ventralight ST?
Bard, through its Davol subsidiary, makes several related polypropylene meshes for ventral hernias in the abdominal wall:
- Ventralex Hernia Patch: a small, round polypropylene patch with an ePTFE layer facing the bowel and a memory ring that helps it open flat, used mainly for umbilical and small ventral hernias
- Ventralex ST Hernia Patch: a version with an absorbable hydrogel barrier, which Bard calls Sepra technology, in place of the ePTFE layer
- Ventralight ST Mesh: a lightweight polypropylene mesh with the same absorbable barrier, used mainly in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair
The absorbable barrier is designed to protect the bowel while the abdominal wall heals and then dissolve within about 30 days, leaving the polypropylene mesh in place.
Ventralex and Ventralight ST Complications
People with these meshes have reported complications including:
- The bowel or other organs adhering to the mesh
- Bowel obstruction, perforation or fistula
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Infection
- Mesh migration or contraction
- Hernia recurrence
- Repeated revision surgeries to remove the mesh
What the Lawsuits Allege
The lawsuits allege that the polypropylene in Bard’s meshes degrades and oxidizes inside the body, becoming brittle and triggering chronic inflammation, and that the absorbable barrier breaks down before the mesh is safely covered by tissue, exposing the bowel to bare polypropylene. They also allege that Bard knew of these risks and failed to warn surgeons and patients.
Ventralex and Ventralight ST Trial Results
- September 2021: In Johns v. C.R. Bard, the first federal bellwether trial, involving Ventralight ST mesh, the jury found for Bard.
- April 2022: In Milanesi v. C.R. Bard, the second bellwether trial, involving a Ventralex hernia patch, the jury awarded $255,000. The judgment was later vacated after the parties resolved the case.
- August 2022: A Rhode Island state court jury awarded $4.8 million to Paul Trevino in a case involving a Bard ventral hernia patch.
Where the Ventralex and Ventralight ST Lawsuits Stand
Ventralex and Ventralight ST claims are part of the Bard hernia mesh litigation: the federal multidistrict litigation, In re: Davol, Inc./C.R. Bard, Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2846, before Chief Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. in the Southern District of Ohio, and the consolidated cases in Rhode Island state court.
In October 2024, Bard’s parent company, Becton, Dickinson and Company, announced an agreement to resolve the vast majority of its hernia mesh lawsuits. The terms are confidential, and payments are being made over several years. The Bard MDL is still open, with 23,324 pending cases as of October 1, 2026, and new claims are still being filed.
Because of the global settlement, new Bard claims must meet newer and more demanding procedures. Among other steps, a newly filed case must produce the medical records identifying the mesh within 60 days and a report from a licensed physician tying the injuries to the mesh within 90 days, or it can be dismissed. For that reason, we are still reviewing select Bard claims with severe injuries, such as multiple revision surgeries, extended hospitalization or bowel damage. For the latest, see our Bard hernia mesh lawsuit update.
Who May Have a Ventralex or Ventralight ST mesh Claim
You may have a claim if:
- Your hernia repair used a Bard Ventralex or Ventralight ST mesh, which your operative report will show
- You have had severe complications, such as two or more revision surgeries, an extended hospital stay, or bowel damage like an obstruction, perforation, fistula or bowel resection
Every state sets a deadline, called the statute of limitations, for filing a claim, and it often runs from when you knew or should have known your injury was related to the mesh. Doyle APC has handled Bard hernia mesh claims for over a decade, and you pay nothing unless we win. Compensation can cover medical expenses, past and future, along with pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and a spouse’s loss of consortium.
Other Bard mesh claims involve 3DMax, PerFix Plug, Composix and Kugel and Sepramesh mesh. You can also read more about hernia mesh complications.
Common Questions
What is a Ventralex hernia patch?
Ventralex is a small, round Bard polypropylene patch with a memory ring that helps it open flat. It is used mainly for umbilical and small ventral hernias. Ventralex ST and Ventralight ST versions use an absorbable barrier to protect the bowel.
Is Ventralex part of the Bard hernia mesh settlement?
Yes. Ventralex and Ventralight ST claims are part of the Bard litigation that was largely resolved by the October 2024 settlement. Claims outside the settlement, including new claims, must meet strict court requirements.
What happened in the Ventralex and Ventralight ST trials?
The first Bard bellwether trial, involving Ventralight ST, ended in a verdict for Bard in 2021. The second, involving a Ventralex patch, ended in a $255,000 verdict in 2022 that was later vacated after the case was resolved.
Can I still file a Bard hernia mesh claim?
Yes. The Bard MDL is still open and new claims are still being filed, but new claims must meet strict requirements, including a physician’s report within 90 days. That is why we are reviewing select Bard claims with severe injuries.
What counts as a severe Bard hernia mesh injury?
Severe injuries include multiple revision surgeries, an extended hospital stay, and bowel damage such as an obstruction, perforation, fistula or bowel resection.