A former University of Utah football player has filed a product liability lawsuit against the makers of the Stryker pain pump after claiming use of the pump after shoulder surgery resulted in permanent shoulder damage.
The man developed chondrolysis, severe loss of cartilage in the joint, and his lawsuit claims Stryker Corp. should have known about the risk of cartilage problems associated with the use of their pain pumps. The suit claims that the treating doctor would not have used the pump for pain management had he been aware of the risk of chondrolysis.
In 2009 FDA required manufacturers of pain pumps to add warnings about the risk of chondrolysis from shoulder pain pumps. Several other shoulder pain pump lawsuits have been filed claiming chondrolysis-related injuries.