Journal of pediatric surgery
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Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with a microprocessor-operated infusion syringe was first suggested for human use in 1965. Clinical studies from the United States and Europe have shown this form of analgesia to be well accepted by adults, but the use of this technology for children has not been studied. We evaluated PCA in 15 consecutive pediatric surgical patients between the ages of 11 and 18 years undergoing major thoracic or abdominal surgery. ⋯ PCA is found to be a safe and effective means of analgesia in pediatric patients. Adequate pain relief was achieved with less analgesia and with less nursing attention. This technology is recommended for postoperative pediatric patients.