PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA - A METHOD FOR THE CONTROLLED SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF OPIOID PAIN MEDICATIONS

The purposes of this article ave to introduce the reader to patient-co ntrolled analgesia (PCA) and to summarize its use in several selected pain-related conditions. Patient-controlled analgesia is a relatively new technique for managing pain in which patients are able to self-adm inister small doses of opioid analgesic medications when needed. The a uthors briefly review some of the problems associated with current and previous opioid delivery strategies and highlight the advantages of P CA over these other methods. They then discuss the components of the P CA system and briefly describe bow the system is operated and controll ed. In this discussion, the authors indicate an appropriate therapeuti c goal and suggest knowledge requirements for the effective use of PCA . The authors close with a brief summary of several reports describing the use of PCA in the management of postoperative pain, cancer pain, and pain associated with labor and delivery. Indications and contraind ications for use in these conditions are presented. Because physical t herapists often play a major role in pain management it is important f or them to be well informed with regard to recent developments in this rapidly developing area of clinical practice.