Unprecedented complication of biologic mesh use in ventral rectopexy

A 49-year-old lady presented with a 4-week history of worsening, intermittent and crampy abdominal pains culminating in her emergency department visit. The episodes were associated with anorexia, without any other constitutional symptoms and began approximately 10 days after laparoscopic ventral rectopexy (LVR) with a biologic mesh. This had been indicated for high-grade rectal intussusception, confirmed on a defecating proctogram, and full thickness prolapse on straining with anorectal pain. She had been completely symptom-free in the intervening post-operative period. The patient's examination in the emergency department was unenlightening except that her by-then widespread and severe abdominal pain was worst in the right lower quadrant. Her additional medical history included haemorrhoids, hiatus hernia, previous caesarean section, Mirena IUD and depression...