Postoperative Pain Management Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to postoperative pain control, intravenous analgesia, and patient-controlled analgesia discussed in the lecture.

Lidocaine pump

A small, portable device that continuously drips lidocaine anesthetic into a surgical incision to keep the area numb and reduce postoperative pain.

Intracavity analgesia

Pain-control method in which an anesthetic solution bathes the internal surgical site or incision continuously.

Incision

The surgical cut made into the body during an operation; often the target area for continuous local anesthetic infusion.

IV (Intravenous)

A route of medication or fluid administration that delivers substances directly into a vein.

IV push

Rapid injection of a medication directly into the IV line by a nurse, usually for fast-acting drugs such as narcotics or Toradol.

Toradol

A non-narcotic analgesic (ketorolac) often given IV push for short-term pain relief.

Narcotic

Potent analgesic drug (e.g., morphine, Dilaudid) that acts on the central nervous system to relieve severe pain.

PCA (Patient-Controlled Analgesia)

An electronic pump that allows patients to self-administer preset doses of IV pain medication by pressing a button.

Lock-out interval

The programmed period during which a PCA pump will not deliver another dose after one has been given (e.g., every 6 minutes).

Bolus dose

A single, often larger, dose of medication given rapidly to achieve immediate drug effect before PCA takes effect.

Continuous dose

A steady, background infusion of medication from a PCA pump in addition to patient-initiated doses.

Morphine

Common opioid analgesic used in PCA; may be prescribed as 1 mg doses with limits to prevent overdose.

Dilaudid

Brand name for hydromorphone, a stronger opioid than morphine; typical PCA dose might be 0.2 mg with stricter limits.

Demerol

Brand name for meperidine, an older opioid largely discontinued because its metabolite can cause seizures.

Four-hour dose limit

Maximum total amount of drug a PCA pump will deliver within any 4-hour window to enhance safety (e.g., 30 mg of morphine).

RN (Registered Nurse)

Licensed professional responsible for administering IV pushes, setting up PCA pumps, and educating patients on proper use.

Discectomy

Surgical removal of all or part of a herniated intervertebral disk; research is exploring local anesthetic pumps for postoperative pain.

Laminectomy

Surgical removal of part of a vertebra (lamina) to relieve spinal cord or nerve pressure; may be followed by advanced pain-control methods.

Hospice

Care setting focused on comfort for terminally ill patients, often using continuous opioid infusions to prevent suffering.

Chronic malignant pain

Persistent, severe pain associated with cancer or other terminal conditions, frequently managed with continuous opioid regimens at home.

Infiltration (IV)

The unintended leakage of IV fluid or medication into surrounding tissue, something the nurse must check for when assessing a PCA line.