Abstract
Purpose
To identify the factors that threaten patient safety when using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and to obtain an evidence-based estimate of the probability of death from user programming errors associated with PCA,
Clinical features
A 19-yr-old woman underwent Cesarean section and delivered a healthy infant, Postoperatively morphine sulfate (2 mg bolus, lockout interval of six minutes, four-hour limit of 30 mg) was ordered, to be delivered by an Abbott Lifecare 4100 Plus II Infusion Pump, A drug cassette containing I mg·mL−1 solution of morphine was unavailable, so the nurse used a cassette that contained a more concentrated solution (5 mg·mL−1), 7,5 hr after the PCA was started, the patient was pronounced dead. Blood samples were obtained and autopsy showed a toxic concentration of morphine. The available evidence is consistent with a concentration programming error where morphine 1 mg·mL−1 was entered instead of 5 mg·mL−1, Based on a search of such incidents in the Food and Drug Administration MDR database and other sources and on a denominator of 22,000,000 provided by the device manufacturer, mortality from user programming errors with this device was estimated to be a low likelihood event (ranging from 1 in 33,000 to 1 in 338,800), but relatively numerous in absolute terms (ranging from 65–667 deaths).
Conclusion
Anesthesiologists, nurses, human factors engineers, and device manufacturers can work together to enhance the safety of PCA pumps by redesigning user interfaces, drug cassettes, and hospital operating procedures to minimize programming errors and to enhance their detection before patients are harmed.
Résumé
Objectif
Déterminer les facteurs qui mettent en danger la sécurité des patients qui utilisent l’analgésie auto-contrôlée (AAC) et obtenir une estimation de la probabilité de décès basée sur des preuves, à partir des erreurs de programmation de l’AAC.
Éléments cliniques
Une femme de 19 ans a donné naissance, par césarienne, à un enfant en bonne santé. Après l’opération, du sulfate de morphine (boius de 2 mg, période réfractaire de 6 min, limite de 30 mg en 4 h), a été administré avec une pompe à perfusion Abbott Lifecare 4100 Plus II. Une cassette de médicament contenant une solution de 1 mg·mL−1 de morphine n’étant pas disponible, l’infirmière a utilisé une solution plus concentrée (5 mg·mL−1). On a constaté le décès de la patiente 7,5 h après le début de l’AAC. Les échantillons de sang et l’autopsie ont montré une concentration toxique de morphine. La preuve présentée est compatible avec une erreur de programmation de la concentration alors que 1 mg·mL−1 de morphine plutôt que 5 mg·mL−1 était noté. Fondée sur une recherche d’incidents semblables dans la base de données MDR de la Food and Drug Administration et dans d’autres sources, et selon un ensemble de 22 000 000 de données fournies par le fabricant du dispositif, la mortalité résultant d’erreurs de programmation par l’utilisateur a été estimée comme un incident de faible occurrence (de 1 sur 33 000 à 1 sur 338 800), mais relativement important en valeur absolue (de 65 à 667 décès).
Conclusion
Les anesthésiologistes, le personnel infirmier, les ergonomes et ies fabricants d’appareils peuvent collaborer à l’amélioration de la sécurité des pompes à AAC en repensant les interfacesutilisateurs, ies cassettes de médicaments et les modes d’emploi hospitalier, ce qui peut réduire ies erreurs de programmation et hâter leur détection avant que les patients en souffrent.
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This research was sponsored by the Jerome Clarke Hunsaker Distinguished Visiting Professorship at MIT and by a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to the first author.
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Vicente, K.J., Kada-Bekhaled, K., Hillel, G. et al. Programming errors contribute to death from patient-controlled analgesia: case report and estimate of probability. Can J Anesth 50, 328–332 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03021027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03021027