PCA in the control of acute and chronic pain in children
Marchetti, G.; Calbi, G.; Villani, A.
La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica Medical and Surgical Pediatrics 22(1): 9-13
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0391-5387 PMID: 11387770 Document Number: 512684
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. 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. 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). 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.