Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released safety tips for nurses on elastomeric infusion devices, or pain pumps, used during and up to 72 hours after surgery to deliver a continuous amount of local anesthetic directly into the patient’s intra-articular space, or shoulder joint, for postoperative pain control. The FDA has received approximately 35 reports of chondrolysis in patients who received continuous intra-articular infusions with pain pump devices. This type of chondrolysis, called postarthroscopic glenhumeral chondrolysis (PAGCL), occurs when the shoulder cartilage is worn away, causing bone to rub against bone. It is a severe, life-altering complication that is usually irreversible. Many patients require a total shoulder replacement.

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A growing number of young patients have been developing arthritis in their shoulders after routine outpatient arthroscopic surgery, causing surgeons to question what could be causing the debilitating condition in otherwise healthy individuals.

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The season is over for Kansas City Royals outfielder Coco Crisp, who will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Royals manager Trey Hillman calls it a “pretty big blow” to the team. Crisp, who began experiencing pain in his shoulder last April, hasn’t played since June 12 after the pain in his shoulder began hampering his production. Prior to going on the disabled list, Crisp’s production dropped from .239 to .261.

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Kansas City Royals outfielder Coco Crisp could be out for the rest of the season if the injury to his right shoulder turns out to be a torn labrum. He is getting second opinion from the renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews. If it is torn, Crisp will have to decide whether to undergo immediate season-ending surgery or to put off surgery in hopes he can play again this season, according to The Kansas City Star.

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Last February, experts thought Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson was done for the season when he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Recovery usually takes about six months, and over the past four months the Magic began inching toward the Finals. Now it seems, just four months post surgery, Nelson has stepped back into the game to help his team fight for the title against the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Manufacturers of pain pumps were denied approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use the devices in a different manner than what had been previously approved by the FDA for shoulder surgery. But that didn’t stop the manufacturers from advising physicians to use the devices improperly. That improper use has lead to a painful and debilitating condition in many shoulder surgery patients.

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Surgeons who perform authroscopic surgery to repair shoulder injuries in patients often use pain pumps to help alleviate pain for up to 72 hours following surgery. The pain pumps are devices that hold pain medication that is gradually released into the shoulder area through a catheter implanted in the surgical site. Once all the pain medication has been released into the joint, the catheter is removed by the patient. When used properly, the process offers a beneficial alternative to oral or intravenous painkillers. And most patients can expect a good recovery after physical therapy.

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Dr. Charles Beck, a well-respected orthopedic surgeon, recently issued a warning that a commonly used device designed to reduce pain after surgery is potentially dangerous when used in the shoulder joint space. The devices, manufactured by Stryker Corporation, I-Flow Inc. and other companies, deliver high concentrations of pain medication directly to a surgical site. According to the recently published article co-authored by Dr. Beck, they can cause permanent and debilitating damage to the shoulder. In discussing the matter, Dr. Beck stated:

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