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Case Reports: Two Cases of Glenohumeral Chondrolysis after Intraarticular Pain Pumps

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Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

Acute idiopathic chondrolysis in young adults is rare. The etiology often is unknown and outcomes can be devastating owing to rapid development of painful secondary osteoarthritis. There have been some recent reports of chondrolysis after arthroscopic shoulder procedures. Animal and laboratory data suggest chondrolysis is related to the use of intraarticular pain pumps, although there is no conclusive evidence that this is causative in patients.

Case description

We present two cases of young adults with chondrolysis of the humeral head after intraarticular pain pump use with humeral head resurfacing and biologic glenoid resurfacing.

Literature review

Several authors report glenohumeral chondrolysis after shoulder arthroscopy involving the use of bupivacaine pain pumps. In addition, experimental animal studies have confirmed the presence of chondrolysis after bupivacaine infusion.

Purposes and clinical relevance

These cases provide additional evidence of an important association between postarthroscopic chondrolysis of the glenohumeral joint and the use of bupivacaine pain pumps.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Norma Rendon BS, for help with the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Okechukwu A. Anakwenze MD, Harish Hosalkar MD, MBMS(Orth), FCPS(Orth), DNB(Orth) & G. Russell Huffman MD, MPH

Authors
  1. Okechukwu A. Anakwenze MD
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  2. Harish Hosalkar MD, MBMS(Orth), FCPS(Orth), DNB(Orth)
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  3. G. Russell Huffman MD, MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Russell Huffman MD, MPH.

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Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Each author certifies that his or her institution approved the reporting of this case report, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.

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Anakwenze, O.A., Hosalkar, H. & Huffman, G.R. Case Reports: Two Cases of Glenohumeral Chondrolysis after Intraarticular Pain Pumps. Clin Orthop Relat Res 468, 2545–2549 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-010-1244-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-010-1244-5

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