Pain pump manufacturers named in the lawsuit include Moog Inc., Stryker Corp., Orthofix Inc., Linvatee Corp, I-Flow Inc, Breg Inc., and DJO Inc.

A study published by The American Journal of Sports Medicine first brought to light the connection between PAGCL, a type of chondrolysis in the shoulder, and pain pumps used during shoulder repair surgery. As a result of that study, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of pain pump devices and pharmaceutical companies as more and more victims begin to put the pieces together and realize they were unnecessarily harmed by the devices used to alleviate pain during shoulder surgery.

There is no cure for chrondrolysis. The condition causes continuous pain; weakness in the shoulder; clicking, popping or grinding in the shoulder; and/or decreased range of motion. Some who suffer from chondrolysis may require complete shoulder replacement.

Source: Buffalo Business Journal

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › More lawsuits filed against pain pump manufacturers

Zone maintains that the cover of I-Flow’s On-Q pain pump contains holes that allow latex to come in contact with patients and health care professionals. The company contends that individuals who come in contact with the pump and suffer a latex reaction may not be properly treated based on the assumption that the I-Flow product does not pose a latex risk. Zone is the worldwide distributor for the Solace pain pump, which has a latex-free design.

I-Flow may want to take a closer look at patient safety. The company is one of several pain pump manufacturers – a list that also includes Stryker Corporation, DJ Orthopedics Inc., and Breg Inc. – facing lawsuits from plaintiffs that allege the pumps have caused lifelong and painfully debilitating shoulder injury. Lawsuits contend that manufacturers of pain pumps instructed physicians to use the pumps in a manner that was not approved by the FDA for shoulder surgery.

Instead of implanting the catheter of the pain pumps into the shoulder tissue as was FDA approved, surgeons were instructed to place the catheters into the shoulder joint area. Doing so allowed medication to drip into the shoulder joint and essentially eat away the cartilage, causing bone to rub against bone and resulting in a serious, irreversible condition known as chondrolysis.

Source: PR Web

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › I-Flow pain pump manufacturers face more lawsuits

These devices have been used on thousands of patients nationwide, and based on our findings, hundreds appear to be at risk for this complication which results in severe pain, debilitating stiffness and eventual joint replacement surgery for many of those affected. We sent the results of our study to the manufacturers more than two years ago, but their response has so far been minimal to non-existent. It is time to get the word out and stop these devices from ruining any more lives.
Dr. Beck’s warning comes at an appropriate time now that football season is in full swing. Manufacturers report that the number of orthopedic surgeries rise sin the fourth quarter of each year tied to increased sports activity, particularly football and skiing. It appears that patients may tend to defer elective surgeries until the fourth quarter after annual insurance deductibles are satisfied.

The article, published in the October 2007 issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine, demonstrates a strong association between the intra-articular (inside the joint space) use of high volume pain pumps following arthroscopic shoulder surgery and an otherwise unexplainable loss of hyaline cartilage in the shoulder joint. Dr. Brent Hansen, an orthopedic surgeon, was the senior author of the study. The complication discussed in the article, known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL), is permanent and can lead to extreme pain and lifelong suffering in 63% of the patients that use the pain pumps. It is suggested that the complications may occur following open surgery as well.

Numerous lawsuits are pending against the companies that manufacture, market, or distribute the pain pumps, including Stryker, DJO Inc., I-Flow Inc., BREG Inc. and others. Included among the many claims in the lawsuits are the allegations that the manufacturers failed to instruct or warn the U.S. medical community that the safety of using the pain pumps in the shoulder joint space had not been established or that the continuous injections of commonly used anesthetics may cause permanent injury.

Our firm is looking into a number of claims from people across the country whose lives have been devastated by these pain pumps. These are supposed to be routine outpatient procedures, but the patients often endure several more surgeries, and most will eventually need complete shoulder replacement. We expect hundreds of individuals across the country to come forward with their own stories of ongoing pain and suffering they have experienced after using one of these devices. Frank Woodson, who is in our Mass Torts Section, is heading up a team that is investigating cases that include the use of pain pumps, not only in the shoulder, but in the knee, ankle and hip. If you need additional information relating to this matter, you can contact Frank at (334) 269-2343.

Source: Associated Press

November 15th, 2007

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Pain pumps can cause cartilage damage