Patient-controlled analgesia in burn patients: a critical review of the literature and case report.
Although patient-controlled analgesia has been well documented as effective in various types of patients, it has not been adequately studied in burn patients. In this paper, the authors review the literature on PCA in burn patients and present two cases. Flaws in most published studies make it difficult to determine the efficacy of PCA in burn patients. Both the literature and experience indicate that many patients with acute burns are not suitable candidates for PCA. The cases illustrate the different methods patients may use to achieve adequate analgesia with PCA. Both patients and nurses face a steep learning curve in using PCA for management of procedural pain in burn care.
Ross Tilley Burn Centre, University of Toronto, Canada.
J
J
Rovers
J
J
Knighton
P
P
Neligan
W
W
Peters
D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000379:methods*; D002053:Burn Units; D002056:Burns / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D016896:Treatment Outcome