Court Has Personal Jurisdiction Over Maker of Transvaginal Mesh Device, Ill. Federal Judge Rules

PEORIA, Ill. — An Illinois federal court has personal jurisdiction over the French manufacturer of a transvaginal mesh sling device because it purposefully availed itself of conducting business in Illinois by marketing the device in that state, a judge has ruled.

On March 29, Judge James Shadid of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois concluded that the manufacturer had sufficient minimum contacts with, and directed its business toward, the Illinois market.

In May 2012, Illinois resident Alberta Gerk underwent surgery for stress urinary incontinence during which her doctor implanted an I-STOP transvaginal mesh sling device. The …