A recent study published in the October 2007 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine has linked the use of post-operative pain pumps to postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis (PAGCL), a painful condition caused by the deterioration of cartilage around the shoulder joint.

 

The pain pump is a medical device that has been used in thousands of patients following arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The pump automatically delivers medication (such as a local anesthetic) to or around the surgical wound sites and in close proximity to nerves for pain management. It is designed to block the pain in the area of the procedure. The pump is portable and may be clipped to clothing or placed in a small carrying case.

Following a recent study, it has been found that these pumps may deliver too much medication causing the loss of cartilage causing lifelong pain and complications in affected patients. The most common problem associated with the use of these pumps is PAGCL. This condition generally affects the glenohumeral joint, which is the joint at the end of the shoulder comprised of the socket of the shoulder blade and the ball of the arm bone. The cartilage between these two portions of the arm and shoulder is the area mostly affected by PAGCL. As the cartilage begins to deteriorate due to the condition, the individual starts to experience the symptoms of the disorder. PAGCL can be permanent condition unless surgery is performed to reconstruct the shoulder which usually consists of replacing the damaged shoulder joint with metal or plastic parts. Symptoms of PAGCL include but are not limited to:

• Decreased Range of Motion of the shoulder
• A narrowing of the joint space in the shoulder area
• Shoulder pain whether in motion or at rest
• Shoulder stiffness or weakness
• Clicking, popping, or grinding of the shoulder joint

There are many manufactures that have produced pain pumps. The most common brands of pain pumps used and ones being associated with PAGCL are:

• Stryker Pain Pumps 1 and 2
• PainPump Blockaid
• I-Flow On-Q Pain Buster
• Donjoy Pain Control Device
• Accufuser Plus Pain Pump

If you or someone that you know has been injured or worse as a result of being treated with a defective pain pump, please contact the law offices of Houssiere, Durant & Houssiere, L.L.P. to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney and medical expert. The staff at Houssiere, Durant & Houssiere has decades of experience in bringing successful suits against medical device companies and is aggressively handling claims against manufactures who have produced and marketed defective pain pumps.