Shoulder Pain Pumps may cause severe cartilage damage and joint pain
A recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alert has identified shoulder pain pumps as a likely cause of severe cartilage damage and joint pain. The joint pain has most clearly been identified in the shoulder joint, but they are not ruling out joint pain in other joints as a result of the pain pump. The consequences of the damage are severe and can include medication for life, multiple surgeries and even reconstructive shoulder surgery.
The condition caused by the pain pumps is called postarthroscopic glenohumeral chrondrolysis, PAGCL or just chrondrolysis for short. Chrondrolysis has been noted to cause severe pain in the shoulder and other joints by the researchers at the American Journal for Sports Medicine. The FDA is requiring physicians to inform their patients about the substantial risk that the insertion of shoulder pain pumps may lead to Chrondrolysis. Despite their rather widespread use, the FDA never approved pain pumps for use in joints.
The shoulder pain pumps operate to release a local anesthetic to the shoulder area following operations. Chrondrolysis has developed following this procedure in young, athletic and relatively healthy individuals. Initially, medical researchers and physicians were puzzled by the appearance of chrondrolysis, a relatively rare ailment which causes joint cartilage to die. The death of the cartilage causes a grinding bone-on-bone joint resulting in the severe pain.
In Tennessee, we represent clients that have been injured as a result of faulty products. There are specific rules and statutes of limitation in Tennessee that deal with these types of lawsuits. These cases fall under the broader category of product liability litigation. Product Liability actions can sometimes be very expensive and complicated cases that involve technical questions and need the input and participation of experts in the field. At the Higgin’s firm we represent individuals and families of individuals in Tennessee that have been the victims of either faultily designed or manufactured products.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
