title: Overdose of opioid from patient-controlled analgesia pumps.
abstract: Two incidence have occurred in our hospital when a patient-controlled analgesia pump has accidentally delivered the whole contents of the syringe of diamorphine (60 mg) over a period of approximately 1 h. Electrical corruption of the pumps' program has been identified as the probable cause. All pumps of this type have been modified to prevent such occurrences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, James Paget Hospital, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Notcutt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaldas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin