Pain Pump
Pain pumps are used by patients across the country to cope with the pain that often follows arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The pumps deliver anesthetics directly into the shoulder joint and are used for a few days after surgery. However, scientific studies have linked the use of such post-operative shoulder pain pumps to a rare, life-altering condition known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL).
Rob Jenner is leading the Janet, Jenner & Suggs team for many people who are suffering as a result of the pain pump. The case involved in the litigation alleges that pain pump manufacturers advised doctors to use the devices directly in the shoulder joint even after the FDA specifically denied their applications for use of the pain pump in the shoulder joint.
“Our clients are cheerleaders, swimmers, baseball players, construction workers, and the like. Their doctors deserved to know the truth about these products, and the companies did not perform a single study to find out if pumping large doses of anesthetic into a shoulder joint was safe. Juries will have to determine just how accountable these companies are,” Jenner said.
In a Nov. 13, 2009 report, the FDA explicitly reiterated its position that it had “not cleared any infusion devices with an indication for use in intra-articular infusion of local anesthetics.” The FDA said the use of pain pumps in that manner has been linked to shoulder chondrolysis, an extremely painful condition in which the cushioning cartilage in the shoulder deteriorates. There is no permanent cure for destroyed cartilage.
The FDA report recommended new safety warnings for pain pumps and the anesthetics be required. The companies should have done this on their own nearly a decade ago.
Symptoms of PAGCL include:
- Pain at the shoulder, whether at rest or in motion
- Increased shoulder stiffness
- Popping or grinding when the shoulder is in motion
- Decreased range of motion
- Loss of strength in the joint
The only treatment for PAGCL is more surgery. Anyone experiencing symptoms associated with PAGCL following the implantation of a pain pump should seek medical attention immediately. Contact us about joining the group of people who are suffering from this surgery and have filed legal claims.
