Surgical Mesh Pause in Aotearoa New Zealand

Surgical Mesh Pause in Aotearoa New Zealand

Wednesday 23 August 2023

On 23 August 2023, Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati announced she has supported, effective 23 August 2023, a time-limited pause on the use of surgical mesh for stress urinary incontinence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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The College has advised its members to comply with the Director-General’s recommendations.

Read the College’s media statement.

Resources for surgeons

��TV/RACS Patient letter template

August 2023

Kia ora [insert patient name]

The Director-General of Health has recommended an immediate pause in using pelvic surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence.

The reason for the pause is to improve safety for patients when using mesh.

Please note this is a pause, not a ban. That means there may be exceptions, and the procedure may be carried out during the pause if a multi-disciplinary team – comprising experts including surgeons and physiotherapists and nurses – agree that a mesh sling is the best option.

More information on the pause is on Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health’s attached patient/consumer information sheet.

What does this mean for you?

Your planned mesh procedure will need to be reviewed. We realise this will be disappointing news.

We will be in touch soon to discuss what this means for you and to plan next steps with you.

Ngā mihi

Dr [insert name]

Resources for patients

We understand that the announcement of the pause in the use of surgical mesh will be concerning for some women.

Women who have a planned mesh stress urinary incontinence procedure should contact their surgeon to discuss options for management.
A range of treatments are still available and where there are no other appropriate options, there is an exceptions process for the pause to allow surgical mesh.
If you have had mesh inserted to treat stress urinary incontinence, there is no need to take any action unless you are experiencing complications.

��TV encourages women whose are concerned about symptoms of stress urinary incontinence to continue to seek help.

For more information see.