Patient-controlled Analgesia

This volume offers a comprehensive understanding of how and why a new method of giving standard drugs for pain relief can be used to revolutionize care. All aspects of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), including the practical details, are dealt with.

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Pain after surgery needs better treament. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) allows the patient, within safety limits set by doctors and supervised by nurses, to get rapid relief by giving as much or as little of a pain relieving drug as they feel the need for. Current research has demonstrated that the use of PCA brings about a reduction in pain experienced and a shorter stay in hospital. Patients also use significantly less analgesic medication than with conventional pain relieving methods. This book is an account of the physiological, psychological and technical aspects of patient-controlled analgesia. It contains a detailed discussion of how PCA works, including basic operating principles, safety features, side-effects and potential dangers to the patient. Advantages and disadvantages are compared, and the psychological factors influencing the effective use of PCA in post-operative pain control are considered. The authors - an anaesthetist and a nurse/psychologist - offer a comprehensive understanding of how and why a new method of giving standard drugs for pain relief can be used to revolutionize care.