WHAT IS A PCA PUMP?
A PCA pump is a device that allows you to give yourself pain medicine whenever you need it. PCA stands for "patient-controlled analgesia." You will have an IV tube inserted into one of your veins. A computerized pump containing a syringe filled with pain medicine (usually an opioid) will be attached to your IV. When you push a button attached to the pump, pain medicine goes through the pump into your IV.
Your health care provider will program the pump. He or she will decide how much pain medicine you need. Your pump may be programmed to give you medicine only when you push the button. It could also be programmed to give you a continuous dosage of medicine that you can increase by pushing the button.