who have thoracic or
large abdominal surgery, and for patients undergoing
major orthopedic surgery. The epidural catheter is
placed just outside the spinal canal in the epidural
space. Once the catheter is placed, a combination of
local anesthetic and an opioid such as fentanyl is
infused using a pump similar to an I.V. PCA. Patientcontrolled
epidural analgesia (PCEA) lets patients
administer a bolus dose when
they need to be active or if pain
levels increase.