How Is Pca Administered

With this type of pain treatment, a needle attached to an IV (intravenous) line is placed into one of your veins. A computerized pump attached to the IV lets you release pain medicine by pressing a handheld button. PCA can be used in the hospital to ease pain after surgery.

How do you use a PCA?

Your doctor or nurse sets the pump to release the right dose of medicine. The pain medicine flows from the pump into the tubing that goes into your vein. When you feel your pain starting, you press a button that you can hold in your hand. After you press the button, pain medicine is released from the pump.

What drug is used for PCA?

The patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump is a computerized machine that gives you medicine for pain when you press a button. In most cases, PCA pumps supply opioid pain-controlling medicines such as morphine, fentanyl and hydromorphone.