Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) leads to more postoperative pain relief, but also to more fatigue and less vigour.

Abstract

This investigation evaluated patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for subjective well-being and mood in the postoperative period in comparison with the intramuscular (im) administration of morphine given on demand. Patients scheduled for elective upper abdominal surgery were assigned at random to either PCA (n = 17) or im morphine (n = 14). The PCA group experienced significantly more pain relief and consumed more morphine than those who received im morphine. The PCA patients suffered from more fatigue and showed less vigour than the im group. Neither preoperative trait anxiety nor locus of control was associated with postoperative pain in either of the groups.