patient controlled analgesia

Definition of patient-controlled analgesia

patient-controlled analgesia

(PAY-shunt-kun-TROLD AN-ul-JEE-zee-uh)
A method of pain relief in which the patient controls the amount of pain medicine that is used. When pain relief is needed, the person can receive a preset dose of pain medicine by pressing a button on a computerized pump that is connected to a small tube in the body. Also called PCA.

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms