Johnson is suing Moog Inc., Stryker Corp. and Stryker Sales Corp., McKinley Medical, Curlin Medical and Linvatec Corp. for economic, non-economic and punitive damages resulting from use of his pain pump.

Pain pumps are balloon-like medical devices filled with medication that rest outside the body. The device has a catheter that is placed into the shoulder area and feeds medication to the surgery site for up to 72 hours. When all the medication has been used, patients simply pull the catheter out of the body. While the pain pumps have reduced hospital stays and provided relief immediately following shoulder repair surgeries, the long-term effects can be dangerous. The anesthetic used in the pain pumps eats away at the cartilage in the shoulder joint, leading to a debilitating condition known as chondrolysis.

Chondrolysis occurs when cartilage in the shoulder joint wears away causing bone to rub against bone. Those with chondrolysis have pain in the shoulder joint and limited mobility. Many require shoulder joint replacements.

Several people treated with pain pump devices following shoulder surgery have developed this once-rare condition, and many are joining Johnson in the fight against pain pump manufacturers for justice.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record

SOURCE: Pain Pumps › Another lawsuit filed against pain pump manufacturers