If you suffer from a rotator cuff injury, shoulder instability, shoulder bursitis, biceps tendinitis, frozen shoulder, or AC joint arthritis, your doctor may recommend arthroscopic shoulder surgery in order to relieve your pain and restore movement in your shoulder.
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is supposed to speed healing and reduce the risk of surgical complications. Instead of cutting open your shoulder, the doctor makes several small incisions. He inserts a mini camera through one incision and uses it to direct small instruments inserted through the other incisions.
After the surgery, the doctor will usually insert a pain pump catheter. Pain pumps, like the Stryker Pain Pump or I-Flow On-Q Pump, direct an anesthetic medication directly into the shoulder for the first two or three days after surgery. This significantly reduces post-surgery pain without the unpleasant side effects associated with narcotics. The catheter is easily removed by the patient when he removes the dressings. Sounds simple, right?
However, pain pumps may cause a serious shoulder injury. Recent studies have linked pain pump use to a condition called postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis, or PAGCL.
The long name is a description of the injury:
- Postarthroscopic: after arthroscopic surgery
- Glenohumeral: shoulder joint
- Chondrolysis: damage to the joint cartilage
PAGCL refers to damage to the cartilage in the shoulder joint after arthroscopic surgery. Symptoms include shoulder pain, stiffness, clicking, and decreased range of motion. In some cases, patients with PAGCL have needed complete joint replacement surgery.
You believe your surgery is going to fix your shoulder problem. Now you have a shoulder condition that’s even more painful. What can you do?
Victims of post-surgical shoulder pain pump injuries have the right to seek monetary compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, disability, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other losses related to their injury. If you or a loved one is suffering from PAGCL and would like more information about Utah pain pump injury claims, contact a Salt Lake City personal injury attorney who specializes in defective medical device cases. The lawyer will be able to advise you of your rights and let you know if you have a case. To schedule a free consultation, please contact the James Esparza Law Firm at 800-745-4050.