Patient-controlled epidural analgesia in obstetrics

PCEA is an attractive concept with special benefits in the obstetric population. It provides a safe and valuable alternative to other approaches to labour analgesia, with demonstrable advantages when used appropriately by motivated women. It also appears to be useful for management of pain after caesarean section. It may occasionally be of benefit in other acute and chronic pain settings in the obstetric population. Despite promising initial results, the full potential of PCEA remains to be explored, and this may be encouraged by ongoing developments in PCA pump technology. Comprehensive comparative studies and large prospective clinical series, further defining its role and safety in various settings, are awaited.