“I think what we’re seeing is that physicians are finally seeing the relationship between pain pumps and chondrolysis – especially since the first lawsuits were filed a couple years ago,” he says. “In addition, literature is now being published about the connection between the pumps and chondrolysis. So, the more information that becomes available, the more people are learning what may be causing their shoulder problems.”

The problem traces back to about the year 2000, when pain pump manufacturers began advising physicians to place the device’s catheter into the joint space, or intra-articular area. The catheters were intended and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be placed into the shoulder tissue, and not the joint space. As a result, medicine was feeding directly into the joint space causing the cartilage to gradually wear away. This narrowing of the cartilage, called chondrolysis, causes severe pain and disability. There is no cure for the condition and many individuals are faced with lifelong disability as a result.

Recently, a study published by The American Journal of Sports Medicine identified intra-articular pain pumps as the likely cause of chondrolysis.

“People who had surgery seven or eight years ago who thought they had recovered are now seeing that they’re losing their cartilage and they don’t know why,” Woodson says, adding that several cases are set for trial in 2009. “I think that you’re going to see juries return verdicts against these defendants and then others will start to file lawsuits as well.”

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › More lawsuits filed as link made between pain pumps, chondrolysis

Once the pain pumps were removed, the officer continued to have stiffness, but only in her left shoulder. The continued stiffness and pain caused her to have two additional surgeries on her left shoulder, hoping these surgeries would be the end to her shoulder problems. But when the second surgery was performed, the doctors noticed that the articular cartilage in her shoulder was nearly gone. Even after the second surgery, her left shoulder was still stiff and still in pain.

A physical examination was given to the officer post surgeries to test the flexibility and rotation of her shoulders. The difference between the movement of the right and left shoulder was staggering. The right shoulder (the one in which the pain pump leaked) had 140 degrees of forward elevation, 60 degrees of external rotation and internal rotation of T12. The left shoulder was extremely stiff and only had a 30 degree arc of rotation and flexion/extension.  Even if you do not understand medical jargon, these numbers are quite different.

The officer was given multiple cortisone injections, five viscosupplementation injections, physical therapy and narcotics, all of which did nothing to alleviate her pain and stiffness.  With little hope of her left shoulder ever being the same, the officer is currently considering her options of what to do next.

The article from UW Medicine, a publication of the Univeristy of Washington School of Medicine, shows in this particular case how the right shoulder that did not receive the pain medication did not show any problems post surgery. However, the left shoulder that did receive the pain medication is left with little to no cartilage and stiffness that might not ever go away. With her symptoms, the officer may suffer from Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL), an extremely painful condition involving the deterioration of cartilage in the shoulder joint.

PAGCL has been linked to numerous cases where pain pumps were inserted after shoulder surgeries and is the most common complication following should surgeries, according to The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Unfortunately, the only treatment for PAGCL is more surgeries, and they cannot be arthroscopic.

When and if you decide on shoulder surgery, know the risks and outcomes of using a pain pump. A small device used to alleviate pain post surgery may result in more surgeries and never-ending shoulder problems.

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Pain pump malfunction saves officer’s right shoulder

This sort of story is happening to more and more young athletes due to the pain pumps used after shoulder surgeries. Shoulder problems are occurring in young athletes, causing them to look to surgery to relieve the pain and get back into the game. Little did they know that after the surgery, the pain pump used to alleviate their pain would leave them with permanent damage and little hope of returning to sports.

Since nothing can be done about past cases, the only thing to do is try to prevent shoulder injuries for young athletes in the future. Some of the sports that put pressure on the shoulder include swimming, baseball, softball and motorcross. No matter which sport, the steps to shoulder injury prevention are all the same.

First, using the proper technique is very important when throwing or using shoulder motions. When fatigue sets in, more strain is put on the shoulder causing problems to increase. Know the correct technique!

Next, flexibility of the shoulder is crucial. The rotator cuff muscles are dependent on good positioning of the scapula, which create the ability for the muscles to produce power. However, flexibility does not automatically mean stretching. Recent studies have shown that static stretching for flexibility should not be done prior to training. Static stretching is used to stretch muscles when the body is at rest. It is recommended that instead of static stretching, dynamic stretching is best for the shoulder. Dynamic stretching uses speed of movement, momentum and active muscular effort to bring about a stretch, according to Sports Fitness Advisor.

The next step to preventing shoulder injuries is core strength and stability. The important areas for the shoulder include the lumbar spine (lower back), cervical spine (neck) and the scapulothoracic joint (shoulder). If these areas are strained, it is passed onto the shoulder joint. It is crucial to strengthen and stabilize these areas.

The last step is muscle strength. Once the core is stabilized, it is important for the shoulder and arms to be strengthened. This can be done through weights or Thera-Bands.

Practicing these steps can help prevent shoulder problems that would eventually lead to surgery. Practice them. It’s worth it.

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Steps to prevent shoulder injuries

According to the October 2007 issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine, cases have been studied and it has been reported that a strong association between the intra-articular use of high volume pain pumps following arthroscopic shoulder surgery was linked to an unexplainable loss of cartilage in the shoulder joint.

To fully understand why these pumps can cause the loss of cartilage, the reader must understand how the pain pump works. The pain pump, inserted during the surgery, delivers high concentrations of pain medication to the surgical site.

Original product information instructs physicians to insert the pain pump into muscle tissue.  However, many physicians were instructed by representatives marketing the pain pump to insert the pain pump between the joints, into cartilage, to increase the effectiveness of the pump. This usage was never approved by the FDA.

When the pain medication is delivered into the cartilage, it actually kills the cartilage, resulting in severe pain, stiffness in the shoulder and, for most, joint replacement surgeries.

Dr. Charles Beck, an orthopedic surgeon and head of the study of pain pumps, believes that thousands of patients nationwide have been affected negatively by these devices.

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › The pump that doesn’t ease the pain