Women who are worried following the vaginal mesh implant revelations in the UK should contact their GP, says Health Minister David Ashford.

He said no operations to insert a mesh implant had taken place in the Isle of Man since 2013 and that more than 40 women have had a different procedure since then.

In the House of Keys on Tuesday, he was asked where any women who might be affected should go to first.

Mr Ashford said: ’The first point of call should be the general practitioners and from there, if there is an issue identified, obviously the general practitioners will refer the women on.

’There are obviously concerns that have made the news around vaginal mesh, and I think what is important is that we continue to follow and await with interest the report that has been commissioned in the UK.’

An inquiry has been launched in the UK after it was revealed that vaginal mesh implants had resulted in complications for some patients.

Thousands of women have had to undergo surgery to remove the mesh implants.

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The implant is a small mesh support used to treat urinary incontinence or prolapse occurring after childbirth.

Complications have included severe pain and the mesh perforating organs.

As many as one in 15 women who had the implant have needed to have it removed, at least in part, recent reports have stated.

The issue was raised this week by Martyn Perkins (Garff).

Mr Ashford told him that no mesh implants were used for the repair of vaginal prolapse in the Isle of Man from January 2013 onwards.

’This particular procedure is subject to multi-disciplinary discussion with our tertiary care provider, the Liverpool Women’s Hospital,’ he said.

’We undertake a procedure called transvaginal taping for urinary incontinence using transvaginal tape, which is a mesh-like product.’

A total of 46 such operations had been undertaken at Noble’s Hospital since January 2013.