Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A former University of Utah football star has filed a lawsuit against a medical technology company alleging its pain pump permanently damaged his shoulder.
Jason Kaufusi claims in the suit filed Friday in U.S. District Court that the Stryker Corporation pain pump implanted in his left shoulder after surgery in 2003 caused severe cartilage loss. The condition known as chondrolysis resulted in pain, weakness and decreased range of motion.
After the diagnosis, Kaufusi, 32, repeatedly consulted with health care professionals, including orthopedic physicians, to figure out what caused the damage, according to the lawsuit.
"Despite his diligence, Mr. Kaufusi did not discover until the summer of 2010 that the pain pump was the likely cause of the cartilage degeneration in his left shoulder," the suit states.
Kaufusi played defensive end for Utah where he was the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in 2000 and and a first team all-conference player in 2001 and 2002. The East High School grad was a pre-season All-America candidate in 2003 and on the Outland Trophy watch list until a shoulder injury ended his career that season.
Kaufusi, who is married with three children, now coaches the defensive line at Weber State University under Ron McBride, his former coach at Utah.
The lawsuit alleges Michigan-based Stryker, one of world's foremost medical technology companies, knew or should have know its pain pumps causes chondrolysis. Pain pumps infuse local anesthetics into repaired ares of the body after surgery.
"Defendants knew that their pain pump was never cleared by the FDA for use in or near the joint space, or even for use in orthopedic surgery at all," the suit states.
Stryker spokesman Aaron Kwittken said the company does not comment on legal matters.
Dr. Lonnie Paulos, according to the suit, would not have placed the devise in Kaufusi's shoulder joint had he known it was not FDA-approved or safety tested to be used in that manner.
The company misled the medical community, including Paulos, and the public, by making false representations about the safety of its pump, according to the suit.
Stryker has maintained that its pain pump does not cause chondrolysis.
Kaufusi is represented by the Salt Lake law firm Parsons Behle & Latimer, which was the first firm to sue Stryker over the pain pump and has several cases pending in court. Kaufusi seeks an unspecified amount for punitive and general damages including pain and mental suffering, and past, present and future medical costs.
Email:dromboy@ksl.com
