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Patient-Controlled Sedation During Port Implantation: Does It Reduce Pain?
Patient-Controlled Sedation During Port Implantation: Does It Reduce Pain?
Posted
on 3 November 2026
Study Overview
Implantation of a subcutaneous venous port is commonly performed using local anaesthesia, but patients may still experience pain or anxiety during the procedure.
The PACSPI 2 trial investigated whether adding patient-controlled sedation with propofol and alfentanil to local anaesthesia improved pain control during port implantation. The randomised clinical trial included 340 adults with cancer across two Swedish hospitals. Participants received either local anaesthesia alone or local anaesthesia plus patient-controlled sedation.
Key Findings
Pain scores were similar between the two groups. The median maximum pain score was 2 out of 10 in both groups.
Moderate or greater pain was also reported at similar rates: 22.9% with patient-controlled sedation and 22.2% with local anaesthesia alone.
Patient satisfaction was high in both groups, with no significant difference between them.
Clinicians reported optimal procedural conditions more often when patient-controlled sedation was used.
Respiratory complications were uncommon, although hypoxia or airway obstruction occurred in two patients receiving sedation and none receiving local anaesthesia alone.
Implications
Adding patient-controlled propofol-alfentanil sedation did not reduce pain or improve satisfaction compared with local anaesthesia alone. This means its routine use solely for pain reduction is not supported by the trial findings.
However, the approach may still be appropriate for selected patients who prefer sedation or experience significant procedural anxiety. Individual preference, safety considerations and available clinical expertise should guide its use.
 "Patient-Controlled Sedation During Port Implantation: Does It Reduce Pain?")
