Safety of Patient-Controlled Analgesia After Surgery in Children And Adolescents: Concerns And Potential Solutions

Don Daniel Ocay; Annik Otis; Alisson R Teles; Catherine E Ferland

doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00336

Safety of Patient-Controlled Analgesia After Surgery in Children And Adolescents: Concerns And Potential Solutions

Front Pediatr. 2018 Nov 6:6:336. doi: 10.3389/fped.2018.00336. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Don Daniel Ocay^{1

2}, Annik Otis^{3

4}, Alisson R Teles^{2

5}, Catherine E Ferland^{1

2

3

4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
² Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada, Montreal, QC, Canada.
³ Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Anesthesia, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
⁶ Child Health and Human Development, Research Institute-McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Abstract

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is common practice for acute postoperative pain management. Postoperative PCA use decreases pain intensity and improves patient satisfaction when compared to non-PCA routes of medication administration. Although PCA has several advantages regarding efficacy and safety, adverse events remain a concern. Programming errors and protocols, patient monitoring, and PCA by proxy or with continuous infusion are recurring silent dangers of PCA use in children and adolescents. Innovative considerations need to be emphasized for future improvement of PCA devices for elective surgical patients. With technology within the healthcare setting advancing at a fast pace, smart pump technology is something to look forward to.

Keywords: concerns; patient-controlled analgesia; pediatrics; safety; solutions; surgery.

Publication types

Review