The lawyers at Morgan & Morgan, P.A. (forthepeople.com) are currently investigating shoulder pain pump lawsuits nationwide for individuals who have developed cartilage damage following arthroscopic surgery. Shoulder pain management pumps used to assist recovery following arthroscopic surgery have been linked to the development of a condition known as Post-Arthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL).
Studies suggest that up to 63% of arthroscopic shoulder surgery patients who receive a post-operative pain pump may develop PAGCL. This condition causes the progressive destruction of cartilage in the shoulder joint. There is no consistently successful treatment for PAGCL, and it can cause life-long disability. PAGCL only occurs in patients who received a shoulder pain pump filled with bupivacaine and epinephrine that is delivered directly to the site of the surgery.
Symptoms of PAGCL generally occur between 3 to 12 months after arthroscopic shoulder surgery and include:
· Pain in the shoulder when it is in motion or at rest
· Clicking, popping or grinding of the shoulder
· Shoulder stiffness
· Loss of strength in shoulder
· Decreased range of motion
Shoulder pain management pumps, such as those manufactured by Stryker, I-Flow, Berg, Inc., and DJO, Inc., are often used following arthroscopic shoulder surgery because they control the pain without the undesired side effects of narcotics. They also reduce the amount of breakthrough pain and result in less recovery time after surgery. However, a recent study published by The American Journal of Sports Medicine identified a direct link between the development of PAGCL and the use of intra-articular shoulder pain pumps. In addition, it has come to light that manufacturers marketed these devices without doing any studies to determine the safety of the pumps, or what damage could be caused, when the physician places the catheter delivering the medication directly into the shoulder joint space. Instead, they actively encouraged orthopedic surgeons to use the pumps in this manner without obtaining approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Individual lawsuits are being reviewed nationwide against the manufacturers of shoulder pain pumps because the manufacturers failed to provide proper warnings that would have prevented devastating injuries. If you or anyone you know has developed cartilage damage following arthroscopic surgery and the use of a shoulder pain management pump, please contact the lawyers at Morgan & Morgan as soon as possible in order to protect your legal rights.
About Morgan & Morgan
Morgan & Morgan is one of the largest Personal Injury law firms in the country with offices nationwide. The firm handles cases against drug and medical device manufacturers, as well as food poisoning and consumer fraud cases. Visit http://www.forthepeople.com/ for a free case evaluation and information about your legal rights.
