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Re the paper I linked above, the excerpt below might the most concerning part. The authors did a very extensive review but in the conclusion did not acknowledge or even mention chronic pain and discomfort reduction as a goal. Hard to believe that they are unaware. Incredible really.
Review Past, Present and Future of Surgical Meshes: A Review Karen Baylón 1 , Perla Rodríguez-Camarillo 1 , Alex Elías-Zúñiga 1 , Jose Antonio Díaz-Elizondo, Robert Gilkerson and Karen Lozano
“5. Conclusions Surgical meshes have become the system of choice for hernia repair. Even though it is not the optimum method, so far it is the one that has shown a lower rate of recurrence. Currently, there are more than 70 types of meshes commercially available. These are constructed from synthetic materials (absorbable, non-absorbable, or a combination of both) and animal tissue. Despite reducing rates of recurrence, hernia repair with surgical meshes still faces adverse effects such as infection, adhesion, and bowel obstruction. Most of these drawbacks are related to the chemical and structural nature of the mesh itself.”
They only mention chronic pain in the discussion as a result of adhesions. Makes a person question their expertise in the field, as a whole. At least they collected many references.
“Furthermore, adhesions between the visceral side of the mesh and adjacent organs still occur. These complications may have serious consequences, such as chronic pain, intestinal obstruction, bowel erosion, or hernia recurrence.”