Patient Controlled Analgesia and an Alternative Protocol: A Comparison of Outcomes After Thoracic and Lumbar Surgery.

Introduction: Patient controlled analgesia (PCA) is a common form of pain management after spine surgeries, in which patients get custom control of their opioid dose. PCA has been demonstrated as a safe form of analgesia; however, use of PCA comes with risks that can be mitigated by opting for alternative pain management. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients using PCA to those with an alternative analgesia protocol that does not involve PCA.