ARJO HUNTLEIGH Alpha Response User manual

Instructions For Use
ALPHA RESPONSE™

(i)
Contents
General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Safety Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Environmental Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Service Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Design Policy and Copyright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About Alpha RESPONSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Mattress: Overlay and Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Seat Cushion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Clinical Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Indications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Contraindications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Care of the patient when sitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Preparing the Systems for Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing the Alpha RESPONSE Mattress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Installing the Alpha RESPONSE Seat cushion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installing the Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Controls, Alarms and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Mattress - Pump Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Installing the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Initial Inflation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mattress Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Stopping Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
To Deflate the Mattress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
To Store the Mattress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Transport Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
CPR Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Seat Cushion - Pump Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat Cushion Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
To Deflate the Seat Cushion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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Decontamination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Maintenance and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Alpha RESPONSE System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Alpha RESPONSE Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Alpha RESPONSE Mattress Replacement, Overlay and Seat Cushion . . . . . . . . . 24
Serial Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Technical Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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GENERAL SAFETY
Before you connect the system pump to a mains socket, read carefully all the installation
instructions contained within this manual.
The system has been designed to comply with regulatory safety standards including:
• EN60601-1:1990/A13:1996 and IEC 60601-1:1988/A2:1995
• UL60601-1 and CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 601.1-M90
Safety Warnings
• It is the responsibility of the care giver to ensure that the user can use this product
safely.
• Whilst the patient is unattended, safety sides should be used based on clinical
assessment and in line with local policy.
• Alignment of the bed frame, safety sides and the mattress should leave no gap
wide enough to entrap a patient's head or body, or to allow egress to occur in a
hazardous manner where entanglement with the mains power cable and tubeset or
air hoses may result. Care should be exercised to prevent occurrence of gaps by
compression or movement of the mattress. Death or serious injury may occur.
• Make sure that the mains power cable and tubeset or air hoses are positioned to
avoid causing a trip or other hazard, and are clear of moving bed mechanisms or
other possible entrapment areas. Where cable management flaps are provided
along the sides of the mattress, these should be used to cover the mains power
cable.
• Electrical equipment may be hazardous if misused. There are no user-serviceable
parts inside the pump. The pump's case must only be removed by authorised
technical personnel. No modification of this equipment is allowed.
• The mains power socket/plug must be accessible at all times. To disconnect the
pump completely from the electricity supply, remove the plug from the mains
power socket.
• The CPR control and/or the CPR indicator tag must be visible and accessible at all
times.
• Disconnect the pump from the mains power socket before cleaning and inspecting.
• Keep the pump away from sources of liquids and do not immerse in water.
• Do not use the pump in the presence of uncontained flammable liquids or gasses.
• The cover of this product is vapour permeable but not air permeable and may
present a suffocation risk.
• There is no transport mode on the Alpha RESPONSE seat cushion.
• Only the pump and mattress combination as indicated by ArjoHuntleigh should be
used. The correct function of the product cannot be guaranteed if incorrect pump
and mattress combinations are used.
Precautions
For your own safety and the safety of the equipment, always take the following
precautions:
• Placing extra layers between the patient and the mattress potentially reduces the benefits
provided by the mattress and should be avoided or kept to a minimum. As part of sensible
pressure area care, it is advisable to avoid wearing clothing which may cause areas of
localised high pressure due to creases, seams, etc. Placing objects in pockets should be
avoided for the same reason.

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• Do not expose the system, especially the mattress, to naked flames, such as cigarettes,
etc.
• Do not store the system in direct sunlight.
• Do not use phenol-based solutions to clean the system.
• Make sure the system is clean and dry prior to use or storage.
• Never use sharp objects or electrically heated under blankets on or under the system.
• Store the pump and mattress in the protective bags supplied.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
This product complies with the requirements of applicable EMC Standards. Medical electrical
equipment needs special precautions regarding EMC and needs to be installed in accordance
with the following instructions:
• The use of accessories not specified by the manufacturer may result in increased
emissions by, or decreased immunity of, the equipment, affecting its performance.
• Portable and mobile radio frequency (RF) communications equipment (e.g. mobile/cell
phones) can affect medical electrical equipment.
• If this equipment needs to be used adjacent to other electrical equipment, normal
operation must be checked before use.
• For detailed EMC information contact ArjoHuntleigh service personnel.
Environmental Protection
Incorrect disposal of this equipment and its component parts, particularly batteries or other
electrical components, may produce substances that are hazardous to the environment. To
minimise these hazards, contact ArjoHuntleigh for information on correct disposal.
Service Information
ArjoHuntleigh recommend that this system should be serviced every 12 calendar months or,
where applicable, when the service indicator is illuminated.
Design Policy and Copyright
® and ™ are trademarks belonging to the ArjoHuntleigh group of companies. As our policy is
one of continuous improvement, we reserve the right to modify designs without prior notice.
© ArjoHuntleigh 2009.

1
1. Introduction
About this Manual This manual is your introduction to the Alpha
RESPONSE™system. Use it to initially set up the
system and keep it as a reference for day-to-day routines
and as a guide to maintenance.
About Alpha
RESPONSE The Alpha RESPONSE system is a pressure
redistributing mattress replacement, mattress overlay or
seat cushion system designed to complement pressure
ulcer treatment and prevention protocols. The product
offers two therapeutic modes:
•Active1(Alternating) mode which periodically
redistributes pressure away from vulnerable areas by
inflating and deflating the cells beneath the body
every 10 minutes.
•Reactive1(Constant Lower Pressure or CLP)
mode where the cell pressure is reduced and held
constant across the surface in order to lower the
pressure exerted on the body.
The product also offers an additional option, Transport
Mode, where therapy is interrupted and the mattress
cells become static in order to assist with patient
transport.
The mattresses can be used on standard hospital and
normal domestic beds. Beds with divided sections for
independent elevation of a patient's head and/or knees
can be adjusted with these mattresses in position. The
seat cushion can be used on standard hospital and
normal domestic chairs.
The pump has three settings for the patient weight range:
• Light: 40-70 kg
• Normal: 70-120 kg
• Heavy: 120-160 kg
The pump will automatically detect whether a mattress
or seat cushion is connected.
If the backrest on the bed is raised (the patient is in a
semi-recumbent position), the system detects the new
position and automatically increases the pressure in the
mattress cells to provide optimal pressure redistribution
to the patient.
1. International Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guideline (2009). www.epuap.org

2
Pump
Mattress: Overlay and Replacement
LCD Screen, Controls
Swing-out
Tubeset
Connector Bed-Hooks
Carry
Handle
and LED Indicator
Detachable Cover3 Static Head Cells
CPR
14 Standard Cells
Tubeset
Control
Transportation Loop Cable Management Flap
Securing Straps
HEAD END
FOOT END

3
Seat Cushion
Detachable Cover
Active (Alternating) Cells
Base Cover
Fixing Straps
Tubeset
Deflation Valves
(on underside for
packing and storage)

4
2. Clinical Applications
Indications The Alpha RESPONSE systems are indicated for the
prevention and management of all categories1of pressure
ulcer when combined with an individualised monitoring,
repositioning and wound care programme.
The Alpha RESPONSE mattress is designed for patients
weighing up to 160 kg (352 lb).
The Alpha RESPONSE cushion is designed for patients
weighing up to 160 kg (352 lb).
Contraindications Do not use Alpha RESPONSE systems for patients with
unstable spinal fractures.
Cautions If patients have other unstable fractures, or conditions
which may be complicated by a soft or moving surface,
advice should be sought from an appropriate clinician
before use.
While the Alpha RESPONSE systems have been
designed to manage patients up to the weight limits
indicated above, those approaching this upper limit are
likely to have additional care and mobility needs and may
be better suited to a specialist bariatric system.
Active therapy (alternating) cushions may be unsuitable
for patients with poor sitting posture or pelvic deformity;
advice from a seating specialist should be sought.
Care of the patient
when sitting Seated patients are at increased risk of pressure ulcers
particularly if they are immobile or have wounds over the
seating area. For optimal outcome, provide a pressure
redistributing seat cushion in a chair which promotes a
good sitting posture and has a levelbaseseat to support the
cushion, in addition to an individualised repositioning
programme.
The above are guidelines only and should not replace clinical judgement.
The Alpha RESPONSE systems represent one aspect of a pressure ulcer
management strategy; if existing wounds do not improve or the patients
condition changes the overall therapy regimen should be reviewed by the
prescribing clinician.
Mattress and cushion combinations may have different upper weight limits.
Cushions should be used in combination with pressure-redistributing
mattresses to provide 24-hour therapy.
1. NPUAP/EPUAP International Pressure Ulcer Guideline, 2009.