Overview
- Arnaud Denis died after receiving euthanasia in Namur, Belgium, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, following a medical review and a period in palliative care.
- Denis said his decline began after a polypropylene hernia mesh implanted in July 2023 and he underwent removal surgery in the United States in April 2024 as his symptoms worsened.
- He received a diagnosis of encephalomyelitis myalgica in a context tied to the ASIA concept and described years of severe pain, digestive failure and neurological problems that destroyed his quality of life.
- Denis filed a criminal complaint in Paris alleging involuntary injury from the implant, but the prosecutor archived the investigation in late August 2026 for insufficient evidence; his lawyer also says Medtronic acknowledged to Denis that some abdominal reinforcement devices can be linked to post-operative pain.
- His death has renewed calls for clearer patient information about hernia mesh risks, has mobilized a victims’ collective he founded that gathered hundreds of testimonies, and could prompt closer reporting of device adverse events and regulatory review.