Pain Pumps may be more painful than you thought.

Intraarticluar Pain Pumps are often used after shoulder surgery to help aid in pain management. These pumps are implanted in the shoulder joint and are used to dispense pain medication. These pumps were believed to be a better way to manage pain after surgery, but recently it has been found that this may be incorrect and the Intraarticular Pain Pumps could be doing more damage than good.

In 2006, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons studied the medical charts of 152 patients who had arthroscopic surgeries. Of these 152 patients, 12 were found to have a condition known as Postarthroscopic glenohumeral chondrolysis or PAGCL. A study was also published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in July stating that these pain pumps were a likely cause of PAGCL. This condition causes increased pain and stiffness in the shoulder, constant need for pain management, reduced strength, a limited range of motion and a probable need for continual pain management. Patients who suffer from PAGCL also need to undergo more surgery, and there is a chance that the injured shoulder will never fully recover.