[PCA in the control of acute and chronic pain in children].
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to verify the efficacy and safety of patient controlled analgesia (PCA) in preschool and older than 6 years children with acute postoperative and chronic oncologic pain.


METHODS
Sixty-two children, aged 4-17 yr, with postoperative (n = 37) or chronic (n = 25) pain received PCA with morphine at the following dosages: bolus = 10-20 gamma kg-1; starter dose = 10-30 gamma kg-1; background infusion = 10-50 gamma kg-1 h-1. Lockout was 5 to 15 minutes. In some children with oncologic pathology adjuvant drugs were also used.


RESULTS
Analgesia was considered satisfactory in all children, while a mild sedation was observed only in two children. PCA was also successfully used in preschool children (11%), aged 4 to 6 yr. Side effects were observed in 8 patients, but only in one of them a transient respiratory depression was recorded. The mean PCA duration was 5.3 +/- 5.5 days (min.2; max 24).


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that PCA is an effective and safe method to control acute postoperative pain as well as to manage chronic oncologic pain in children.
Marchetti
G
G
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Servizio di Anestesiologia e Rianimazione, P.zza S.Onofrio, 4-00165 Roma, Italia.
Calbi
G
G
Villani
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*