Label Changes Mandated for Pain Pumps Due to Dangers of Permanent Cartilage Damage
A recent report from the Wall Street Journal stated that the FDA is seeking to change labels on pain pumps that deliver pain medication to patients after surgery. Pain pumps are small plastic tubes that deliver and regulate pain medication, usually for a couple of days. The proposed label changes come in the wake of many reports of irreversible cartilage damage from patients who had the medication delivered to their joints, primarily after shoulder surgery. Doctors say that after a procedure like shoulder surgery, the pain pumps can provide too much medication to the tissue, resulting in severe and permanent damage.
From 2006 to 2008, the FDA states that it has received 35 reports of severe cartilage damage from these pumps. Manufacturers of the pumps include I-Flow Corp., Stryker Corp, and Moog Inc., and the FDA has given them 30 days to update the warning labels to account for potential cartilage damage. The pain pumps in question have been approved by the FDA for use after abdominal and certain other surgeries, but not after joint procedures like shoulder surgery.
Hundreds of cases have already been filed against these companies due to the severe cartilage damage many patients have experienced. If you or a loved one has used a pain pump and sustained cartilage damage, contact the personal injury attorneys at the Pintas Law firm immediately. We can provide you with a free no-obligation consultation and explain your legal rights to you.
This is why I like www.chicaggoinjurylawblog.com. Shocking posts.