Administration Routes During PCA

Patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) is perhaps the simplest and most common method of PCA administration. PCIA is typically administered by inserting a needle into a peripheral vein, and then connecting the needle to a catheter or intravenous 

FIGURE 17-2 Schematic representation of an implantable vascular access port that can be used with PCA. The port can be connected to a PCA pump via a percutaneous needle, and a catheter leads from the port to a large central vein. [From Knox LS. Crit Care Nurse. 1987 7 71 with permission.] 

FIGURE 17-3 T Schematic illustration of PCA spinal delivery. The catheter delivers the analgesic into either the epidural or intrathecal [subarachnoid] space. Catheters for long-term use are tunneled under the skin (dashed line) and can either be connected directly to an implanted PCA pump, or exit the anterior-lateral flank for connection to an external pump. 

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