CuroCell iA®
By embracing the real problem, a real solution
CuroCell iA® is a Care of Sweden innovation. It has been developed to enable a system to sense, learn and take action whenever the high pressure that can cause ulcers/injuries arises. It takes learnings from years of research and development and applies them to a support surface for widespread use in a range of care settings, such as home care.
By accepting that the problem is complex, our R&D team could also let go of the solution having to be simply one thing or the other. The system would have to be autonomus. It would have to be ready to adjust itself to the patient’s need of pressure relief, second by second. With Gentle Alternating Low Pressure™, the CuroCell iA® system makes the step from mechanical to digital, from manual to autonomus, and from on-off comfort valves to a fine tuning of total support that we’ve never been able to deliver before in this segment.
The Story
According to Hippocrates’ precept, care is a matter of time and opportunity. A patient who develops a pressure ulcer needs on average 15.5 days of additional care(1) and pressure ulcers/injuries can take five months or more to heal(2). So, the fact that a large proportion of these injuries are avoidable is an important opportunity.
We want to give our caregivers more time for caring. We want to shorten, or prevent altogether, the time a patient must spend in pain and discomfort due to pressure ulcers/injuries. We want to use vital resources more effectively so that offering a good standard of care is economically sustainable.
Our understanding of pressure ulcers/injuries has deepened with time. Whereas ischemia was seen as the sole cause initially, with time research showed that there is a second important cause; cell deformation.
Even as technological solutions were introduced, we faced a dilemma. Alternating systems, developed to combat ischemia, could quickly lead to new pressure ulcers/injuries. Support surface that used Constant Low Pressure to instead envelop the user, did not remove the long, slow pressure build-up that causes ischemia in the first place. It seemed to be a problem that defied each human and technological intervention.
If only there was a way to combine the benefits of alternating pressure with those of Constant Low Pressure. That is why we developed CuroCell iA®, introducing the Gentle Alternating Low Pressure™. This alternating mode retains the advantages of our Pulsating Mode™, providing benefits both as an aid in prevention of pressure ulcers and enhanced comfort.
Main benefits
CuroCell iA® uses artificial intelligence to onstantly monitor pressure across the patient’s contact area and calculates its response. The system identifies the patient’s weight and height and can detect changes, such as when the patient adopts a new position.
The AI-based, CuroCell iA® control unit was developed with the aim to improve patient safety and allow professionals to provide a new level of person-centered care. Should a patient’s new posture result in excessive pressure, CuroCell iA® will take action, managing individual cells to adjust the contact between the patient and the mattress. This can reduce the amount of manual handling or heavy lifting the care team must undertake.
Quietly and comfortably
Because the air inside the support surface is re-used, there is no need for the control unit to run continuously. The silent running of the control unit enable conditions for undisturbed sleep and recuperation. Our Air Flow Control™ system has been developed with the aim of saving energy and creating a more even temperature in the support surface itself.
Service- and maintenance-free
for the first five years
CuroCell iA® is not only developed for patients to be able to sleep better. The control units are quieter thanks to their use of magnetic valves. Because air in the support surface is recirculated with the aim to achieve patient comfort, the system doesn’t need to be in constant operation. This reduces wear and tear of the system. With CuroCell iA, we can offer offer a system which is maintenance- and service-free for the first five years.
A modular system you can mix and match
Our system is modular, providing you with mix-and-match flexibility and freedom. We’ve made sure that the CuroCell iA® Automatic and CuroCell iA® Manual control units are compatible with several different support surfaces, enabling adaptation to several different care needs.
There are two control units and two qualities of support surface, each with a 10cm overlay mattress and two replacement mattresses of 17cm and 20cm.
Enables a lower total cost of ownership
The interchangeable parts are developed with the aim to make it easy to use and own. Moving a patient in order to replace a complete mattress system is arduous for staff and inconvenient and sometimes painful for the patient.
With CuroCell iA®, just the support surface or the control unit can be swapped out when needed. The result is fewer patient moves, less need to replace equipment sets, simpler inventory and reduced storage requirements. Overall, this flexibility makes operation simpler and enables a lower total cost of ownership.
Gentle Alternating Low Pressure (GALP)
The airflow in the cells adapts to the patient’s weight, height and position. The cells are never completely emptied or filled. This reduces movement in the cells, makes the system quieter, and enable a less intrusive experience for the individual who is lies the support surface.
Constant Low Pressure (CLP)
The principle of Constant Low Pressure is that pressure is constant and evenly distributed over the entire support surface. In this mode, the cells do not alternate but are filled with an equal amount of air all the time.
Maximum pressure (Caring mode)
Maximum pressure fills the cells completely with air to provide a stable support surface and automatically returns to the previous settings after 20 minutes. “Caring mode” is developed to contribute to patient safety, improved working ergonomics.
Information signals
Sensors in the system will detect if there is an error and provide audible and visual notifications. The system also provides an alert if an upcoming service is predicted.
Panel Lock
Our panel lock prevents the control unit from being inadvertently adjusted. The control unit locks itself automatically 30 seconds after a new setting is entered.
Comfort settings
The air pressure can be adjusted in two stages according to the patient’s comfort preferences.
Soft friction hangers with soft tips
Each small detail of manufacture is considered and that includes the use of softened hangers with tips designed to avoid the risk of patient injury or discomfort.
Transport function
For additional flexibility, our CPR valves include a detachable lid. This means the support surface can be sealed and pressure maintained for at least 12 hours without being connected to an air supply.
In case of power failure
The valves in the control unit open automatically in the event of a power failure and equalize the pressure in the mattress to a Constant Low Pressure for at least 12 hours. There is no need to manually disconnect the support surface and close the lid if a power failure occurs.
Low bed height
In the CuroCell® Ci17 and CuroCell® Ci17 PRO we offer a 17cm replacement mattress with air cells. The lower mattress height fits most hospital beds. This makes installation simple and the most common saftey rails will be sufficient to maintain patient safety.
Technical specification
General
Control unit
CuroCell iA® Automatic
CuroCell iA® Manual
Support surfaces
CuroCell® Ci10
CuroCell® Ci17
CuroCell® Ci20
CuroCell® Ci10 PRO
CuroCell® Ci17 PRO
CuroCell® Ci20 PRO
CE- marking
Cleaning instruction
Documents
IFU and Product Sheet
Brochures
References
(3) EN ISO 11201 Acoustics – Noise emitted by machinery and equipment – Determination of emission sound pressure levels”, SP 2018.
(4) ISO 3746:2010 ”Acoustics – Determination of sound power levels and sound energy levels of noise sources using sound pressure – Survey method using an enveloping measurement surface over a reflecting plane”
(5) European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. The International Guideline. Emily Haesler (Ed). EPUAP/NPIAP/PPPIA: 2019.
(6) CDC (2003), Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care facilities, updated 2019.
(7) SS 876 00 20:2017, Healthcare textiles – Mattresses – Specifications and requirements.
(8) SS-EN ISO 15496:2004, DIN 53122-1.