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The use of intra-articular pain pump catheters following shoulder surgery appears to cause permanent cartilage damage, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. The damage, called postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis, is a life-changing injury that can result in substantial pain and significantly limit the use of the shoulder.

An intra-articular pain pump catheter is a tiny, flexible plastic tube that is implanted in the shoulder joint during surgery. The pump most often stays in place for several days following surgery to deliver pain medication, usually bupivacaine with epinephrine, directly to the shoulder joint during recuperation.

Commonly Used in Arthroscopic Surgery

Intra-articular pain pump catheters are routinely used after arthroscopic shoulder surgery, which involves the use a tiny camera and allows the surgeon to perform the surgery by viewing images on a monitor attached to the camera. Arthroscopic surgery requires fewer incisions to be made in the skin and generally requires a shorter recovery time and less scarring than traditional surgeries.

Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis

Medical researchers believe that intra-articular pain pumps can result in a painful injury called postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis by delivering a high concentration of potent pain medication directly into the shoulder. The high dose of the pain-killing drug can destroy the cartilage of the glenohumeral joint, which joins the arm and the shoulder. When the cartilage is damaged or destroyed, the shoulder joint may not move smoothly, causing significant pain and a reduction in the range of motion of the arm and shoulder.

If you experience any of the following symptoms following shoulder surgery in which an intra-articular pain pump was used, you may have developed postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis:

• Decreased range of motion of the shoulder
• Shoulder pain
• Clicking, popping, or grinding in the shoulder joint
• Shoulder weakness

In July 2008, Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacement parts were recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after patients who received the new hips complained that the parts did not work properly. In many cases, patients who found their new hips easily slipped out of place were forced to undergo painful additional surgeries to remove and replace the defective parts.

The Durom Cup was approved by the FDA in 2006 for use in complete hip replacement surgery (also called hip arthroplasty). It was implanted in an estimated 13,000 patients in the United States before studies showed that about five percent of Durom Cup patients complained of serious complications following surgery. Prominent surgeons who used the device also noted a higher than normal failure rate among their patients.

Surgeon Shines Light on Durum Cup Problems

Prominent Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Dorr was among the first to expose problems associated with the Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacements. Dorr had implanted the hip replacements in 165 patients and found that 14 required additional surgeries within two years to correct problems. Dorr issued a public advisory about his findings and within months, the hip replacements were taken off the market.

Durom Cup Complications

Hip-replacement patients who received the Durom Cup parts complained of a variety of complications. Some patients experienced lingering pain in the area, while others noticed a clicking sound or grinding sensation coming from their new hip. Others complained that their new artificial hips caused persistent pain and discomfort that required additional surgeries to replace the Zimmer Durom Cups with other hip replacements.