Pain Pumps: FDA Requires Warning that Use in Joint Causes Chondrolysis and Cartilage Damage

After two year of aggressive litigation by a handful of dedicated lawyers, the FDA has finally recognized that there is a huge problem with continuously infusing local anesthetics into the joint space after surgery for post operative pain relief.  Manufacturers like Stryker, I-Flow, Breg, DonJoy, Sorenson Medical, have been promoting these "pain pumps" to orthopaedic surgeons for almost ten years for use after surgery in the shoulder and knee.  Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed since patients have been developing total destruction of their cartilage after having the pump continuously infuse these drugs into their joints.  The new action by the FDA vindicates these injured patients.