The link between pain pumps used after shoulder surgery and a serious condition known as PAGCL, or Postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis, has been known for several years. However, it’s only recently that more patients are recognizing how this link may relate to their conditions, which is why more and more shoulder pain pump cases are being filed.

Hundreds of product liability lawsuits already filed

Hundreds of lawsuits have already been filed against pain pump manufacturers, according to Frank Woodson, an Alabama attorney whose firm represents patients injured by pain pumps. “I would estimate that there are approximately 130 to 140 that are currently filed. I believe that is up from about 30 to 40 that had been on file as of the summer of 2008. All of those cases are pending in many state and federal courts across the country.”

Many more to be filed in 2009

There are many more cases under review across the country and there will likely be many more pain pump cases will be filed. According to Woodson, “As patients and physicians learn more about the link between pain pumps and chondrolysis, I think you’ll see many more people come forward. I think what we’re seeing is that physicians are finally understanding the relationship between pain pumps and chondrolysis – especially since the first lawsuits were filed a couple of years ago. In addition, literature is now being published about the connection between the pumps and chondrolysis. So, the more information that becomes available, the more people are learning what may be causing their shoulder problems.”

Lawsuits relate to surgeries performed from 2000

Some pain pump lawsuits relate to surgeries that were performed nearly 10 years ago, according to Woodson:

This goes all the way back to about the year 2000. People who had surgery seven or eight years ago who thought they had recovered are now seeing that they’re losing their cartilage and they don’t know why. For a long period of time, physicians didn’t know why either. However, now that the literature is expanding and more and more doctors are finding out about this, they’re telling patients to contact attorneys to get advice on what recourse they may have. Several cases are set for trial in 2009. I think that you’re going to see juries return verdicts against these defendants and then others will start to file lawsuits as well.

As an experienced pain pump attorney, Woodson has seen clients with debilitating conditions relating to pain pump use. He told us, “I hope this litigation will continue to educate the medical community to use pain pumps in a proper manner because if it is done in that way, then we should stop seeing these injuries occur.”