The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has reviewed reports of chondrolysis (necrosis and destruction of cartilage) in patients given continuous intra-articular infusions of local anesthetics with pain pumps, also known as elastomeric infusion devices, to control post-surgical pain. The local anesthetics were infused for between 48 and 72 hours directly into the intra-articular space.
Chondrolysis of the shoulder refers to the abrupt loss of cartilage between the bones of the shoulder joint. Symptoms may include: joint weakness, clicking, or popping; decreased range of motion in the affected joint; and severe pain.
FDA data showed that chondrolysis was diagnosed within a median of 8.5 months after beginning pain pump use. Almost all of the reported chondrolysis cases occurred following shoulder surgeries. Joint pain, stiffness, and loss of motion were reported as early as the second month after receiving the infusion. In more than half of the FDA reports, the patients required additional surgery, including arthroscopy or arthroplasty (joint replacement).
If you or a loved one have sustained an intra-articular pain pump injury or been diagnosed with chondrolysis, you may have a legal claim against the pain pump manufacturer. The Law Office of Dane E. Johnson offers a free legal consultation to evaluate your potential case and help protect your legal rights. Please contact us toll free at (800) 714-3204, or online. If you need immediate legal assistance with a pain pump lawsuit question, call Portland, Oregon personal injury lawyer Dane E. Johnson directly at (503) 975-8298.
