Patient-controlled analgesia in children.
The use of patient-controlled analgesia is described for forty children who had undergone major orthopaedic or general surgery. Ages ranged from 6 to 18 years (mean 11.4 years) and PCA was used for an average of 46.2 hours postoperatively. Morphine requirements overall averaged 40.5 micrograms/kg/hr (SD 22.6). Requirements for the first six hours were not significantly different to a similar period 24 hours later. There was a large individual variation for patients undergoing similar procedures. Patients undergoing scoliosis surgery required significantly more morphine than any other group of patients. Problems with patient-controlled analgesia have been of a minor nature. We conclude that patient-controlled analgesia is a suitable and safe method of pain relief for paediatric patients and that the lower age limit is that at which a child can understand the concept after suitable explanation. In this study children as young as six years were able to successfully use the method.
Department of Anaesthesia, Adelaide Children's Hospital, Australia.
P B
PB
Gaukroger
D P
DP
Tomkins
J H
JH
van der Walt
D000293:Adolescent; D000698:Analgesia / Q000295:instrumentation; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010361:Patients; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery
D000700:Analgesics; D009020:Morphine