Overview
- Arnaud Denis died after undergoing euthanasia in Namur, Belgium, a decision confirmed by his lawyer and framed by Denis as the endpoint of years of suffering.
- Denis said his symptoms began after a July 2023 inguinal hernia operation that used a polypropylene mesh and that he later flew to the United States to have the implant removed without significant improvement.
- He described three years of intense pain, major weight loss, digestive and neurological problems and a loss of autonomy that he said left him bedridden or dependent for basic care.
- A French investigation into involuntary injury was archived for lack of proof before his death and his lawyer filed a new complaint shortly prior to the euthanasia to try to reopen the case.
- Denis founded the group Víctimas Francesas de Prótesis para Hernias to gather similar testimonies and his case adds to broader scrutiny and legal debate over polypropylene hernia meshes and how health systems respond to patients with unexplained device-related illness.