what is pca medical

PCA stands for "patient-controlled analgesia," which is a type of pain management that allows patients to control when they receive a dose of pain medicine. With PCA, a needle attached to an IV line is placed into one of the patients veins, and a computerized pump attached to the IV lets the patient release pain medicine by pressing a handheld button. The pump is programmed to deliver a safe amount of pain medicine over a specific period of time, and the patient can only receive medicine at programmed intervals. PCA is commonly used to treat acute, chronic, postoperative, and labor pain, and it can be administered intravenously, epidurally, through a peripheral nerve catheter, or transdermally. The pain reliever given through the pump is usually an opioid such as morphine or hydromorphone. PCA has proven to be more effective at pain control than non-patient opioid injections and results in higher patient satisfaction. PCA can be used in the hospital to ease pain after surgery, or it can be used for painful conditions like pancreatitis or sickle cell disease. It also works well for people who can’t take medicines by mouth, and it can be used at home by people who are in hospice or who have moderate to severe pain caused by cancer. Children as young as age 7 can benefit from PCA if they understand the idea behind it and can follow instructions. However, people who are confused, disoriented, or unresponsive cannot use PCA. PCA is very safe, and the computer is programmed to give a safe amount of pain medicine over a specific period of time. Nurses and the Pain Service will watch closely for signs of too much pain medicine, and if the patient is becoming very sleepy with the medicine, they should tell their nurse or physician.