KIMS-Bhubaneswar becomes 1st Hospital in Odisha to start PCA
Bhubaneswar, Nov 18: Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) becomes the first hospital in Odisha to start Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) for patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the post-operative period.
A PCA pump allows the patients to give themselves pain killer drugs whenever they need them and without having to wait for the nurse to bring an injection. The pump delivers the drug down a fine length of tubing to the drip in the patient’s arm after the patient presses the designated button on the handset.
PCA better than conventional treatment methods as the patient gets the pain killer immediately. Patients with good pain control tend to make faster progress and, on average, leave hospital earlier.
A 42 years old male open heart patient was put on CADDTM (Computerized Ambulatory Drug Delivery System), Smiths Medical, USA for postoperative pain management. Patient remained absolutely pain free and was able to move out of bed within 12 hours of surgery.
Usually open heart is done after opening the chest along the midline. After surgery movement of chest with each breath causes pain and restricts patient’s respiratory effort. This may causes pulmonary complications and increase patients morbidity.
Use of PCA alleviates pain and improves lung functions. New generation PCA with many safety features is a noble step towards painfree cardiac surgeries.