Watkins Medical Centre
Level 8, 225 Wickham Terrace,
Spring Hill QLD, 4000
All appointments
Phone: (07) 3831 7034
A patient controlled analgesia device (PCA) is a special computer controlled syringe pump. It allows a preprogrammed volume of fluid to be injected into an intravenous drip line. A individually prescribed concentration of a narcotic solution (usually morphine) is loaded into the syringe. A button on a wire lead is connected to the machine for the patient to operate. A single push of the button by the patient will cause a preprogrammed volume of the narcotic to be injected. The machine is programmed so that a maximum dose per hour cannot be exceeded and that there can be no more than a certain number of successful button presses in a 10 minute period. If either the hourly dose limit or the maximum number of successful button pushes is exceded the button push will simply not deliver any drug. This system has a number of distinct advantages.