Use of breath-activated Patient Controlled Analgesia for acute pain management in a patient with quadriplegia.

We report the use of breath-activated Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) for the provision of analgesia in a quadriplegic patient with traumatic neck injury. This provided good pain relief, decreased opioid complications, improved perceptions of self-control, smoothed recovery and enhanced patient, family as well as staff satisfaction. The setup and principles of its use in a patient with high anxiety and unable to use conventionally activated PCA are illustrated.