Shoulder Pain Pump Lawsuits
Last Updated: October 2008 • 32 Comments
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The use of intra-articular pumps, also known as pain pumps or pain balls, to deliver medication to the shoulder following arthroscopic shoulder surgery has been linked to the development of a painful and debilitating condition which causes the loss of cartilage in the shoulder. The condition, known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis or PAGCL, has no consistently successful treatment and often results in permanent shoulder pain.
STATUS OF SHOULDER PAIN PUMP LITIGATION: Lawsuits are currently pending and potential cases are still being reviewed by product liability lawyers. Motions have been filed to consolidate all Federal shoulder pain pump lawsuits and transfer the cases to one court for pre-trial proceedings.
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OVERVIEW: Various manufacturers sell disposable pain pumps which are used to deliver medications through a catheter for a few days after surgery. Although these medical devices have not been approved for intra-articular use following arthroscopic shoulder surgery, lawsuits allege that the manufacturers encouraged the use and misled doctors about the dangers the devices could pose.
The July 2007 issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) contained a study which provides evidence linking the use of intra-articular shoulder pain pumps to the development of postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis (PAGCL), which is associated with the progressive destruction of cartilage.
SYMPTOMS OF SHOULDER PAIN PUMP PROBLEMS: Symptoms of PAGCL typically manifest3 to 12 months following the arthroscopic shoulder surgery. As the shoulder is used more, the loss of cartilage causes new problems, which is usually more severe than the pain experienced before the surgery.
Symptoms could include:
- Shoulder pain whether in motion or at rest
- Clicking, Popping, Grinding
- Shoulder Stiffness or Weakness
- Decreased Range of Motion
Have a Potential Shoulder Pain Pump Lawsuits Reviewed by Lawyers
Shoulder pain pump lawyers are evaluating potential lawsuits throughout the country for individuals who have suffered cartilage damage or symptoms consistent with PAGCL following arthroscopic surgery. Submit information regarding a potential claim to be sent to an attorney for review.
Pingback by Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL) — AboutLawsuits.com on 21 May 2008:
[...] in the shoulder joint. The painful and debilitating disease has been linked with the use of intra-articular shoulder pain pumps which are sometimes used after arthroscopic [...]
Pingback by MDL Petition filed for Shoulder Pump Lawsuits — AboutLawsuits.com on 21 May 2008:
[...] attorneys in federal product liability lawsuits involving the use of pain pumps following arthroscopic shoulder surgery, have filed a petition seeking to consolidated all cases for [...]
Pingback by Federal Court to Consider Consolidation of Shoulder Pain Pump Litigation : AboutLawsuits.com on 30 July 2008:
[...] PagesMDL Petition filed for Shoulder Pump LawsuitsShoulder Pain Pump LawsuitsPostarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL)Federal Heparin Lawsuits Consolidated in Toledo [...]
Pingback by Shoulder Pain Pump Lawsuit Consolidation Petition Denied : AboutLawsuits.com on 19 August 2008:
[...] PagesShoulder Pain Pump LawsuitsPostarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL)Federal Court to Consider Consolidation of [...]
Comment by dean on 16 November 2008:
hello im dean 2 years ago i received surgery for my rotor cuff and the surgeon implanted a cathetor to that site with a disposible pain pump, i underwent months of therapy with no preval and my pain is as bad if not worse than before the surgery,i cant count 50 1 dollar bills without my back and shoulder and arm hurting bad as if i was lifting weights and couldnt lift no more, these pumps destroyed my life and my livelyhood and havent been back to work since,im very disapointed and depressed.
Comment by richie on 19 November 2008:
I had two pumps installed within two months in the same shoulde…Does this mean I’m twice as screwed than the normal dose of the poison in my cartilage. Dam now what?
Comment by Allen on 28 November 2008:
both shoulders had pain pumps in 2000 & 2001….. now in done with playing any kind of sports!
Comment by Jessica on 9 December 2008:
My mother had Rotercuff surgery in the beginning of October 2008, She passed away of a heart attack October 28th 2008, just a week or so after discontinuing the use of her pain pump. I’ve just recently begun to see commercials about faulty pain pumps that result in congestive heart failure and/or heart attacks. What if thats really what happened? If something were done differently maybe she would have lived?
Comment by Shelley on 23 December 2008:
I had surgery on June 18, 2008 and have been rehabbing every since. I still have stiffness and weakness. My range of motion isn’t real good yet either. I have a lot of soreness in my bicep like I’ve been doing a lot of exercises or something. Usually when you exercise you get sore at first but then it goes away. I had a lot of inflamation afterwards and didn’t make much progress until my Dr. gave me a cortizone shot. I don’t know if It has anything to do with the pain pump or not. I haven’t been back to my Dr. since he released me.
Comment by DAVID on 2 January 2009:
I TOO HAD A PAIN PUMP INSERTED IN MY SHOULDER FOLLOWING SURGERY.I HAVE CONSTANT PAIN AS WELL AS RESTRICTED MOVEMENT. THE DOC WANTED TO GO FOR A THIRD SURGERY WHICH I DECLINED. I FELT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. DAVID
Pingback by Shoulder Surgery Pain Pump Lawsuits Filed in Arizona : AboutLawsuits.com on 27 January 2009:
[...] shoulder surgery pain pumps, like the ON-Q PainBuster made by I-Flow, Inc. and similar devices sold by Stryker Corp, DJ [...]
Comment by Gail on 18 February 2009:
My Mother had shoulder surgey twice within 2 months, she had a pain pump with both surgeys. Today 7 months later she still has no stregth, soreness (pain) and limited to use. I even think it has effected her memory also.
Comment by Horhay on 25 February 2009:
I was able to play several rounds of golf 26 days after my surgery. Recovery seemed to go well for about 6 weeks. Then I developed adhesive capsulitis (sp) aka frozen shoulder. That has been improving with two cortizone shots however I am now regressing again after very strengthening exercises, lots of stretching, icing and just babying my shoulder. I am now 15 weeks post surgery and the pain is returning. My surgery consisted of:
1) acromioplasty
2) bursa removal
3) removal of the end of my clavical because of bone spurs and arthritis
4) lots of tendon repair or “clean up”.
I am sure that I still have many months until full recovery. However, knowing about the pain pump effects is quite un-nerving.
Comment by Lisa on 26 February 2009:
I have had 10 surgeries on my right shoulder, used the pain pump in the later of surgereis 3 times, and am now looking at having my shoulder replaced. I am olnly 42 years old. :{ I followed all the post-op prodicalls, blaming myself for the continued pain, thought I was going nuts as I didn’t “over-wrok” the shoulder. Now at least we know there is a reason for all the years of pain ans suffereing, the damn pain pump!!!
Pingback by Shoulder Chondrolysis Trial to Begin July 2009 in Breg Pain Pump Lawsuit - AboutLawsuits.com on 24 March 2009:
[...] appears that the first trial of a pain pump lawsuit, involving the development of shoulder chondrolysis after arthroscopic surgery, will begin this [...]
Comment by Mary B on 31 March 2009:
I had surgery to repair 2 labral tears in 2007. I had been experiencing
night time pain in the shoulder so i went to an ortho. Subsequent MRIs
indicated something called an enchondroma/osseous lesion in the
shoulder. I can’t really find any realtionship between this and the pain pump I was given after surgery but, I wonder if anyone else had this experience. This condition was never dicussed with me pre surgery
so I an concluding that it is a recnt incident.
Comment by Jayne on 6 April 2009:
I see that the first trial will be in July 2009 – wasn’t there a trial in Oregon in February 09?
Comment by Nick C on 16 April 2009:
Well im 22years old and I tore my labrum my senior year of high school with high hopes of getting drafted and playing baseball as my career, I had D1 scholoarships ahead of me, the whole deal. I ended having the surgery after my senior year and the pain pump was put right in the joint (not FDA approved). 2 years later of playing Baseball in JUCO I had to have a shoulder replacement. Doctors made it seem like it was just a once in a million case that it happen to me, but now I know the real reason. I plan to persue this in the very near future.
Comment by Yvonna on 5 May 2009:
My husband was a certified pipe welder, He had become interested in under water welding and started looking into that career. In June of 2004 he was injured on the job. He had his frist surgery in november of 2004 on his left dominant arm. They installed the pain pump to help with the pain after arthroscopic surgery.
Shortly after removal he began to have alot of pain, loss of movement with poppin in shoulder in therapy. He kept having more and more pain, more and more loss of movement. Therapy did not help. The doctor stated he never seen this before. So we ended up seeing another doctor. He told my husband it was a frozen sholder there wasn’t anything more they could do. That therapy and pain management would not help. He was one in a million that he needed to go on with the cards he was dealt. well needless to say he has not worked since, he deals with major pain daily, with lots of pain meds. We have never gotten any straight answers. He has become very depressed, and withdrawn.
Comment by Bobby on 30 May 2009:
Stryker Corp. Settled with all 6 Plaintiffs 2 prior to the trial the last 4 during the trial here in Oregon in Febuary 2009!! I personally have had 2 Total shoulder replacements 4-1-04 the next 4-8-09 since my SLAP & Bicep tendenis repair in 2002 which included 4 Stryker Pain Buster II pain pumps.I had to filed in Minnesota due to legal mumbo jumbo. I am 50 years old have very limited use of my right arm and I am hoping to see the inside of a court room sometime the end of 2012.
Comment by Joe on 2 July 2009:
I’ve had 2 shoulder surgeries-both surgeries a disposable pump was installed. I have very limited use of my right arm, the pain at times is knee buckling. I had an attorney,but when it came to the Doctor giving the report and signing the PAGCL statement, he would not. I really can’t afford an office visit from a specialist. So the Law Firm dropped me. Anyone know of a reputable firm that would front the exam?
Comment by Richard on 10 July 2009:
Hi did anyone have alot more pain while that painpump was in for that two days.with my shoulder it felt like the pressure of the pump was causing a lot of pain when it was taking out it was a big relieve
and no one can tell me why.
i get sharp pains down to the outside of my bicep it is also dumb i get alot of pain in around the shoulder joint and alot more clicking cracking
Comment by Meg on 18 July 2009:
Hi all. This all sounds so familiar. It’s scarey! I tore my right rotator cuff at work in April of 2007. Had my “1st” Rotator Cuff Repair surgery on 9/5/07. At that time, I had the On-Q pain pump installed. Went to PT as directed. I followed all the instructions to the T! I was getting worse, not better. Doctor decided I had frozen shoulder. After my WC benefits were reduced, they approved a manipulation under anesthesia to “un-freeze” my shoulder. This was January of 2008. Immediately followed by aggressive PT (which started same day of surgery). Finally, in May 2008, my Ortho doctor decided he didn’t know what to do with me because I, too, was “one in a million”, so he referred me to another shoulder specialist in the practice. In October of 2008, I underwent yet another surgery which included some of the following procedures:
1) acromioplasty
2) bursa removal
3) removal of the end of my clavical because of bone spurs and arthritis
4) lots of tendon repair or “clean up”.
This was also followed by agressive PT which started the DAY of my surgery. Pain is worse than ever. Very limited range of motion with lots of clicking, grinding and popping. My rt arm and hand go numb. The pain goes all the way up my neck and across my upper back. I have not been able to lay down, in bed, since shortly before my first surgery in 2007! I sleep sitting up in a recliner! I cannot stand any pressure on the right side of my body. My Ortho told me to “suck it up and live with it!” My rt arm even hurts to dangle, like normal people. My rt shoulder is “humped” so when you look at me from the front or back, that side is raised significantly over the left side. I am 45 and I don’t think I will ever be right.. Don’t know what to do next???? Any thoughts?
Comment by sabra on 7 August 2009:
I’m 19 years old. I hurt my shoulder 2 years ago working in a nursing home and have had two surgies since. The last surgery in March I got one of those damn pain pumps. Now my shoulder grinds and pops every time I move it. And of course its my dominant arm. The last 5 months have been hell! I’m in more pain then I ever was, I can’t do anything and I’m getting depressed because NOTHING gets ride of my pain. This is so ridiculous. I was never even told I was getting a pain pump. I woke up and it was there.
Comment by Robert on 12 August 2009:
I originally had surgery in 2004. A pain pump was inserted into the shoulder. During Pt I experienced grinding and popping and had severe pain. I was basically made to feel that my pain and complaints were not valid and I should be feeling better. Month after month the Ortho Surgeon told me I should be feeling better. I finally had to agressively request another MRI. After the results I was told by the doctor that he needed to go back in. After that surgery again popping and grinding had become worse and the pain never stopped. Again I was told that I should be feeling better. Because this was a work injury I was forced back to work after a manipulation to assist with range of motion. I simply gave up trying to explain to the doctors and WC that my problem was not solved. Recently the pain became truly unbearable and I went to see another doc. I had a 4th surgery in June 09 and the surgeon told me that I had no cartilage and would probably need a shoulder replacement or would be in a high level of pain for the rest of my life. I am only 40yrs old and I am tired of this pain. I truly believe that had the doctors came forth about the pump issues they would have known I was not trying to play the system and diagnosed my problems earlier. I truly do appreciate my last surgeon because he made me aware of the pain pump issues. He was straight forward with me and realizes how much pain I am in. My bones have been ruined do to constant bone on bone contact and that is why I need a replacement. It was horrible to search pain pump on Google and find out that this was huge and was not a unique situation for me and no one ever said anything at all in reference to these pumps causing PAGLC which is documented in my post op report from June09. I have been dealing with this for five years and for at least 3 and a half I thought the pain was in my head and not in my shoulder because thats how the DOCS and INSURANCE made me feel . It is still a mental challenge dealing with this but at least I know that I am not crazy. I have done everything in my power to get better mentally and physically. Never have I missed a PT or Doctor’s appt. I did everything I was told and the above mentioned is my results. The craziest thing about all of this is that I can identify with 95% of the comments listed in some form or another. Now is that a coincidence that most of our stories are alike?
Comment by Hope on 2 September 2009:
I have had two shoulder surgeries, from the first one I ended up with my shoulder frozen. Another dr. did the second. He removed some of my clavical due to bone spurs,( how did the first dr. miss this just six months earlier when he was in there) tendon clean-up, un-froze my shoulder. My first surgery an On-Q pain pump was used, it was disposible after three or four days and my son took it out for me as directed from the dr. I’ve been through theraphy, a cortisone shot ( worked for three hours) I’ve been to five dr’s no one will give me a straight answer. They give me weight restrictions and have no answers, soon as I mention the pain pump they say OH thats not the problem and are in a hurry to get me going. I used to work two jobs and enjoyed them. My daughters barrel race horses, I’ve rode all my life, they don’t ask me anymore to go ride with them because they know the next day I will be on the couch with a sick migraine. I have to hire someone to help with stall cleaning. If I try to pick any kind of weight up with that right side I just feel like vomiting. Does any one else have this problem?
Comment by Lori on 23 September 2009:
I had rotator cuff surgery in May of 2008. I experience ALL of the symptoms of PAGCL…….and continue to get worse. I had one attorney tell me that it is highly unlikley that I would have PAGCL due to the fact that Dr’s were made aware of the pain pump issue and after 2007 they no longer placed the device in the joint….only in the surrounding tissue. She said there has not been any reported cartilage damage from placement in the tissue. Does anyone have any other info…anyone know if this is completely accurate? I am scheduling an appt next week…and will ask for either x-ray or MRI, but thought I would check here…thanks
Comment by rick on 4 October 2009:
i had my first shoulder surgery on my right shoulder in 2003 no pump was put in shoulder doing ok i had my second shoulder surgery in 2006 on my left shoulder to this day my arm is useless it seems its taking forever for help! ssi they are dragging thewre feet and the lawsuit well we all now how thats doing dont we! the bad p[art is i have no income or medical insurance since 2007 because of this sucks !!!! sorry im just venting
Comment by Jared on 9 November 2009:
I don’t know of anybody that has won or got anything from the pump makers. What is the hold up. How many total cases are there? I am one of the few to have a total replacement at the age of 32. Still haven’t found a lawyer to take my case. I remember after my last surgery the quack doctor got it stuck in my joint and had to pull on my arm to get it out. That was in 2008. So there was some doctors using them the wrong way after 2007. Good luck to all of you.
Comment by Bob on 12 February 2010:
Since my April 2004 surgery, I have been through all of the hoops and wringers! My latest MRI shows that no cartilage remains in my right shoulder. It’s bone to bone! One huge point that sticks in my craw – The pain pumps were never approved by the FDA, yet doctors and hospitals continued to use them. In court, Judges don’t/won’t make the/a decision regarding the fact that an “non-FDA -approved,” device was used for treatment, specifically after the FDA denied the approval to the Mfrs. Judges want specific proof that the device or medication dissolved the cartilage. What is the difference? Neither would be legal/ethical, as FDA approval was never received. Guess any Physician can stick whatever they want in an incision and hope for the best!
Comment by Alfred on 5 March 2010:
I have had two surgeries for a rotating cuff, first one in March of 2007 and another in June 2007 and the pain was still there. On the second surgery the surgeon placed the OnQ Pain Buster Pump. I have never recovered from pain and this pain is worse then ever. My pain management doctor says I will probably have to have a total replacement on my left shoulder. I have had a Laminectomy Spinal Fusion from my C-4 to C-7 for a tumor mass and that was in May 2008 and I don’t have the pain that I have with my left shoulder. Doctors tried to say that the pain on my shoulder was coming from my neck, this was before my cervical surgery, but after the cervical surgery, the pain is still there on my left shoulder.
Comment by gary on 15 March 2010:
I can identify with 95 percent of what I have heard from others that suffer.Ortho doctors (ones responsible for pump placement) want to hide and deny what looks to be very coman w/pain pump complaints.i had my shoulder surgery in October of 2009 and a Breg pain pump was used.The pain pump drained both vials of the leathal numbing agent in my arm in less than 12 hours and flushed through out my shoulder,regaurdless of the placement of the tube injuries are happening and it seems unconcienable if not crimanal to continue useing pain pumps in surgery that are not approved by the FDA.I personally believe the pump that was used on me was defective to have drained all of the concoction in to my arm in that short of a period. I would hope that these pumps that were set up for up to 72 hours of delivery can not be set for such a fast rate that they can empty in 12 hours or less.Well good luck to all who suffer on compensation these greedy pharmactical companys should pay,they did not care there product was rejected all they cared about was profit and SHAME on the doctors that abandon there patients in fear of admitting there is a proble w/these pumps regaurdless of where they are placed.