PAGCL-Chondrolysis
What is it? In a 2007 article in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, there was a link between intra-articular pain pumps following arthroscopic shoulder surgery and an extremely painful, debilitating condition known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL).
The disposable pain pumps are implanted in the intra-articular (inside the joint) space during the procedure, are often used for two or three days to deliver pain medication. Typically the medicine included epinephrine.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine article found that there has been a loss of hyaline cartilage in the shoulder joint -- Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL).
PAGCL affects athletes as young as 18 as well as elderly people who have compromised health. Symptoms of PAGCL include:
- Pain at the shoulder, whether at rest or in motion
- Increased shoulder stiffness
- Popping or grinding when the shoulder is in motion
- Decreased range of motion
- Loss of strength in the joint- shoulder, hip, or leg.
There are currently several lawsuits against the makers of certain pain pumps, including:
+ Stryker;
+ DJO Inc.;
+ I-Flow Inc.; and
+ BREG Inc.
After the study, linking shoulder pain pumps to PAGCL, I-Flow issued this warning about its ON-Q DFU (a shoulder pain pump): “Avoid placing the catheter in joint spaces. Although there is no definitive established causal relationship, some literature has shown a possible association between continuous intra-articular infusions (particularly with bupivacaine) and the subsequent development of chondrolysis.”
If you have been told you have chondrolysis or PAGCL, or other joint space problems, talk with us.