I-Flow Corporation manufactures and sells pain pumps that are used after surgery.  Recently, an Oregon jury found the company liable for negligence.  The jury awarded the plaintiff $4.5 million for the permanent damage he suffered to his shoulder joint. 

In 2004, the thirty-five (35) year old plaintiff underwent surgery after hurting his right shoulder while playing flag football.  After surgery, his surgeon inserted a pain pump catheter directly into the shoulder joint.  The pain pump is designed to deliver pain medication directly into the shoulder.

Afterward, the plaintiff reported to his doctor that he was experiencing ongoing pain and a “clicking” sound in his shoulder.  Physicians discovered that the patient’s cartilage in his shoulder joint was almost completely worn away.  This condition is called chondrolysis.  The pain pump damaged the plaintiff’s cartilage.  Now the patient has undergone more surgery but surgery cannot repair all of the damage.  He now faces a lifetime of repeat surgeries, constant pain and limited use of his right arm.

Although the FDA has not approved inserting these pain pump catheters directly into a joint, the product’s manufacturer instructed doctors to insert the catheter directly into the joint and then failed to warn medical doctors of the risks.

If you or a family member has had a pain pump inserted after surgery and have experienced cartilage damage, you should immediately contact an attorney.  The Fitzgerald Law Firm has more than 30 years of experience prosecuting product liability cases.  Their attorneys review potential cases for free.