patient-controlled analgesia

patient-controlled analgesia (PCA),

a drug-delivery system that dispenses a preset intravascular dose of a narcotic analgesic when the patient pushes a switch on an electric cord. The device consists of a computerized pump with a chamber containing the drug. The patient administers a dose of narcotic when the need for pain relief arises. A lockout interval automatically inactivates the system if a patient tries to increase the amount of narcotic within a preset period.

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analgesia (an´ljē´zē),

n an insensibility to pain without loss of consciousness; a state in which painful stimuli are not perceived or interpreted as pain; usually induced by a drug, although trauma or a disease process may produce a general or regional analgesia.

analgesia, diagnostic,

n the administration of a local anesthetic to determine the location, source, or cause of pain.

analgesia, endotracheal

n an inhalation technique in which the anesthetic agent and respiratory gases are passed through a tube inserted in the trachea via either the nose or oral cavity.

analgesia, infiltration,

n the arrest of the sensory responses of nerve endings at the surgical site by injections of an anesthetic at that site.

analgesia, insufflation,

n the delivery of anesthetic gases or vapors directly to the airway of a patient while he or she is breathing room air. Insufflation is usually an open drop method.

analgesia, intranasal,

n the delivery of an analgesic agent to the membrane of the nose by either topical application or insufflation.

analgesia, nonnarcotic,

n drugs that relieve pain by action at the site of the pain. Generally, nonnarcotic analgesics do not produce tolerance or dependence.

analgesia, patient-controlled,

n mechanisms by which the patient can administer and/or control the application of an analgesic agent to an area. One such mechanism is the use of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) to control facial pain. The TENS unit is a variable controlled device designed to deliver a controlled electrical stimulus to the skin surface overlying a painful muscle.

analgesia, regional,

n the reversible loss of pain sensation over an area by blocking the afferent conduction of its innervation with a local anesthetic agent.

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patient-controlled analgesia

Pain management A method for self-administration of narcotic-analgesics via a programmable pump; PCA is used for pain of terminal CA, postsurgery, angina pectoris, L&D Agents Fentanil, meperidine, morphine, sufentanil; PCA is delivered IV, subcutaneously or epidurally. See Pain.