An audit of patient-controlled analgesia after appendicectomy in children

Abstract

Background: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is commonly used after appendicectomy in children. Aim: The aim of this study was to characterize the analgesic use of children prescribed PCA after appendicetomy, in order to rationalize future use of this modality. Methods: We retrospectively audited all cases of acute appendicitis over a 4-year period in a single pediatric hospital, recording demographics, surgical approach, pathology, analgesia use, pain scores, and duration of PCA. We preplanned subgroup analyses for surgical approach, pathology, and intraoperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration. We subsequently identified a patient subgroup who were unlikely to ..