Pain Pump Malpractice Shoulder and Knee Surgery

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Pain Pump Malpractice – Shoulder and knee surgeries - Damaged Cartilage

Post-surgery pain pumps have been safely used for many years. Although the pain pump catheters are typically placed into the soft tissue, beginning in the year 2000 surgeons have been placing pain pump catheters directly into patients’ joints to alleviate pain following shoulder and knee surgery. The pain pumps are usually left in the joint for a couple of days, and the catheter is simply pulled out by the patients when the pain medicine runs out. This unusual use of pain pumps (pumping anesthetic directly into the joint space) began at the suggestion of the pain pump manufacturing companies because they wanted to sell more pain pumps, even though placing the pain pumps directly in the joint spaces had never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

After several years of use, doctors began to realize that these shoulder and knee pain pumps are causing severe injuries to many of the patients who receive them. What happens is that when the pain medicine used, usually bupivacaine, comes into direct contact with cartilage within the joint, it causes significant destruction of the cartilage. This condition is known as “post-surgery chondrolysis,” and it causes excruciating pain for the patient and very often the need for even more surgery. Some patients even require complete replacement of the damaged joint.

If you have had shoulder or knee surgery with a pain pump catheter placed in your joint space, and you ended up with damaged cartilage, you most likely have a legitimate claim against the manufacturer of the pain pump. If the pain pump was used after early 2006, when the reports of this condition were starting to be published, you may also have a medical malpractice claim against the surgeon who used the pump in your joint when he or she should have known better because of these published warnings.

We are accepting cases involving pain pumps, and we invite you to submit our online form (“Do I have a pain pump case?”) to obtain more information, or please call us toll free to discuss your possible case at 1-800-974-0929.

While our firm started in Orlando and its main office is there, for many years we have handled cases throughout Florida, and even out of state. To serve you better we have opened additional satellite offices in several major Florida cities. We use these offices to conduct client interviews, take depositions, and as war rooms when we have trials in these cities. When advantageous to you, we will also associate with other lawyers and law firms in some areas of the state to serve you better. If we do associate with other lawyers on your case it will be at no additional attorney fee or expense to you.

This site contains only general background information and is not intended to constitute specific legal advice or establish an attorney/client relationship. Laws vary from state to state and are constantly changing. If you think you may have a case you should promptly contact a lawyer in your state with experience in handling this type of case.

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