There are numerous lawsuits currently pending in state and federal courts against manufacturers of pain pumps. These lawsuits have been filed on behalf of arthroscopic shoulder surgery patients who allege pain pumps were used improperly, resulting in permanent injuries. Many of those patients are in their 20s and will face a lifetime of limitations because of the irreversible damage to their shoulder.

If you are one of those patients, you need legal help -- and you need it now. You're facing more surgeries or a costly shoulder replacement. The MedLaw Legal Team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC can help you obtain compensation to pay for those surgeries, as well as compensation for the permanent injury you've suffered. Fill out our online contact form or call us at 1-888-4-MED-LAW for an evaluation of your case.

A pain pump is a small device that infuses or coats the joint after surgery with a local anesthetic, typically for 48-72 hours. The most common pain medication used with a pain pump is bupivacaine, often in combination with epinephrine. Pain pumps have a tube with a catheter attached to them that gradually and continuously release the pain medication into the shoulder. Once the medicine is gone, the patient can simply remove the catheter, thereby requiring less medical attention after surgery.

When pain pumps were first used, they had limited amounts of anesthetic and were placed in the muscle or outside the shoulder joint. As the manufacturers increased the anesthetic capacity through the development of high-volume pumps, they allegedly began advising physicians to insert the device’s catheter directly into the joint space, or intra-articular area. Several pain pump manufacturers applied to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to place the pain pump catheter in the shoulder joint space, but the FDA repeatedly denied these applications.

Pain pumps used improperly after shoulder and other joint surgery have been linked to the development of a debilitating condition known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis, or PAGCL. In many cases, individuals with PAGCL have had the cartilage in their shoulder completely destroyed, requiring a shoulder replacement.

Multiple scientific studies have confirmed an association between intra-articular pain pump infusions and the destruction of shoulder cartilage. If you or someone you love has been injured by an intra-articular pain pump infusion, or have the symptoms or diagnosis of PAGCL, you may have valuable legal rights. Please contact the MedLaw Legal Team of Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC by filling out our online contact form or calling us at 1-888-4-MED-LAW.