Implantable Pain Pumps Causing Devastating Shoulder Injury
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Recent studies have shown that intra-articular, implantable pain pumps are causing severe, disabling injury to patients. Most frequently these pumps are implanted after arthroscopic shoulder surgery to control pain. The pumps inject pain medication, most frequently bupivacaine and epinephrine, directly into the joint space.
Unfortunately, doctors are seeing an alarming number of pain pump patients developing Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL). A very rare disease, PAGCL results in destruction of the joint space cartilage leaving bare bones rubbing together. Frequently, these patients require complete joint replacement surgery.
What is most concerning is that these pumps are being implanted in otherwise healthy young athletes who, but for the use of these pumps would recover and do well. This disease leaves these young people disabled and prevents them from competing in their chosen sport.
Four medical studies in the past two years have found a shocking relationship between the use of these pumps and the development of PAGCL. The first study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that 12 out of 19 patients who were treated with this pump developed this disease.
One is left to wonder how the manufacturer was able to obtain regulatory approval of a device that affords so little benefit but causes so much harm. The majority of these pumps are manufactured by Stryker.