As many people following the pain pump litigation are aware, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation originally denied a petition to consolidate all of the federal lawsuits on August 11, 2008.  A second petition was recently filed (November 30, 2009) renewing the motion for transfer, coordination and or consolidation. 

Recap:  How did we get here?

Several years ago, a study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine suggested that pain medicine pumps used after shoulder surgery may deliver too much medicine to the surgical site, causing a serious side effects known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL).  Symptoms of PAGCL include chronic pain, and loss in range of motion.  The side effects can take several months to appear after the surgery.  PAGCL is a very serious condition, it results in the loss of shoulder cartilage.  Once the cartilage is gone, it does not grow back, and may lead to shoulder joint replacement.

Some patients may be able to control their pain and other symptoms with analgesics (pain medication or pain killers) and/or other drugs such as anti-inflammatory medicines, but they may have to take these medications indefinitely.  If pain medication is not sufficient to help a PAGCL sufferer, a replacement of the entire shoulder joint may be necessary.  Shoulder replacement surgery (arthroplasty) involves replacing the shoulder joint with metal and plastic components.  This can be a costly and painful procedure.  It can also impair an individuals’ ability to earn an income and enjoy a good quality of life. The people who have suffered injuries should be treated fairly and compensated for their losses.

What is a Shoulder Pain Pump?

Pain Pumps are reservoirs that are filled with pain medication.  They have a catheter that runs from the pump and is placed through an arthroscopic incision to the surgical site.  They are highly effective for managing pain after shoulder surgery and came into favor by doctors because it lessened the chance of a patient getting hooked on pain pills.  Problems started to surface when some of these patients were developing cartilage damage or were in chronic pain after what should have been a relatively safe surgery.  Many had no idea that the pain pumps were causing the problems.

What was wrong with the pain pumps?

Pain pumps have been used safely for many years.  The situation changed when doctors started placing the catheters directly into the joint space, instead of around it.  This was a new technique.  It hadn’t been tried before, and the FDA would not approve it.

What information is out there about a lawsuit?

Hundreds of people across the country have been affected.  Lawsuits are pending against the several different companies that manufacture, market or distribute the pain pumps. Plaintiffs are claiming that the manufacturers failed to warn or instruct the medical community about the safety of using the pumps, or that they may cause permanent injury.

If you have already undergone the procedure, and you believe that you are suffering from PAGCL, you should contact your doctor immediately to determine whether or not the shoulder cartilage has deteriorated (this is usually done by taking an x-ray of the shoulder).  You should also contact a PAGCL attorney to evaluate whether or not you have a case against the corporation that manufactured the pain pump. 

Our Law Firm offers free case consultations.  If we agree to pursue your case, we will take it on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no legal fees until a recovery is made.  Contact one of our pain pump lawsuit attorneys by calling Toll Free 1-866-777-2557, or use our online contact form and a pain ball lawsuit lawyer will get back to you as soon as possible.