Patient-controlled analgesic infusion pumps

Patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) infusion devices allow patients to self-administer narcotic analgesics within the limits prescribed by the physician. PCA therapy is typically used for postoperative, obstetric, terminally ill, and trauma patients. PCA pumps deliver solutions intravenously, subcutaneously, or epidurally and allow patient activation by means of a pendant button on a cord connected to the pump or a button directly on the pump. We evaluated nine PCA pumps from six suppliers. Three of these pumps are syringe-type, while the others use cassette-based fluid delivery. Because PCA pumps have often been cited as examples of devices that contribute to medical error (the most significant risk connected with PCA infusion is overmedication), the accident resistance of each device weighed heavily in our testing. The pumps we tested exhibit varying levels of performance, resistance to accidents and tampering, and ease of use. We rate six of them Acceptable. While none of the six units stands out as ideal, they meet most of our criteria, and we consider them somewhat better choices than the rest. We rate one other pump Acceptable (with Conditions) because, in one of its operating modes, it has a drawback that could be dangerous to patients; we consider its use acceptable only if the hospital doesn't employ the operating mode in question. Finally, we rate two pumps Not Recommended because they both have a significant number of disadvantages.