Patient controlled analgesia and GI dysfunction

A prospective randomized study of 300 total joint replacement patients was done comparing the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of morphine, meperidine, and nalbuphine given by patient controlled analgesia (PCA). All three groups of patients developed some form of GI dysfunction, but no significant difference was found among the three narcotics used. It was found that normal GI assessment in the initial postoperative period does not guarantee that GI function will remain normal. This finding indicates a need for extended nursing assessment of the GI status of the postoperative PCA patient.