Patient-controlled analgesia in the management of acute pain

INTRODUCTION Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was introduced into medical practice in the late 1960s (1). It has become a widely used means of controlling pain over the past few decades. PCA has been commonly applied in the management of acute postoperative pain and has also found use in the management of other acute pain problems such as acute pancreatitis and sickle cell crisis. Additionally, it has been used in the management of pain crises in patients with cancer pain and with acute on chronic nonmalignant pain. Patients typically demonstrate high levels of satisfaction with this analgesic technique and many studies indicate they prefer it to the traditional practice of intermittent intramuscular opioid administration.