Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of surgical mesh implants have shrunk after being inserted.

Between 2013 and 2017, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received 18 adverse incident reports including the terms “shrunk” or “shrink” (or similar) relating to surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse.

It should be noted that these figures include a range of recognised complications related to this type of surgical procedure and do not necessarily indicate a fault with any particular device.

These figures include reports from manufacturers, healthcare professionals and members of the public and therefore may not necessarily represent an individual patient. As there is no limiting time on reporting, people can make multiple reports at any time after the mesh has been implanted and on the same issue.