[Peri- and postoperative pain therapy with mechanical patient-controlled disposable analgesia pumps in general surgery. Report of initial trial].

The patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or "ondemand analgesia" is a pain-relieving therapy, which is regulated and monitored by the patient himself. Postoperative pain therapy is the main approach for PCA, which facilitates a long-term, individually controlled pain relief. In certain situations we use mechanical PCA-pumps filled with piritramid (Dipidolor) as an opioid-analgetic for reducing postoperative pain. This kind of therapy needs the acceptance and understanding of the patient as a main condition for the success. Beside an increase of patients' comfort and patients' independence of analgetic demand from the medical staff a reduction in postoperative complications can be expected, the time of hospitalisation might be decreased.