Acorn Technologies Assists in Development of Innovative Pain Control Device

Godisa Newsletter - June 2004 Acorn Technologies was recently involved in the development of an innovative pain control device that is set to make a patient’s life much easier.  Developed by Dr. Tom Ruttmann from the University of Cape Town, Mark Yeoman (Continuum Blue) and Dr. Janet Basson (One Eighty Degrees) with project management by Acorn Technologies, the 3D-Disposable Patient Controlled Analgesic Device allows for safe and inexpensive patient controlled administration of pain control drugs.

According to Dr. Peter Breitenbach, CEO of Acorn Technologies, pain control and pain management is restricted by the difficulty in releasing drugs like morphine and is thus often omitted to the patient’s detriment.  “In order to achieve smooth and continuous pain control, which is driven by the patients needs, the PCA or patient controlled analgesia is the ideal solution utilising the concept of Dynamic Dose Delivery.  The 3D-PCA device was subsequently developed and intellectual property protection has been obtained.”

In general, the use of PCAs is quite restricted, as the mechanical and electronic pumps required to allow the patient to administer a drug dose, are quite expensive and they are virtually non-existent in developing or third-world country hospitals. “Disposable devices have been developed, but they are clumsy, expensive and allow the potential inclusion or removal of drugs – which makes them unsafe in a non-fully supervised ward,” said Dr. Breitenbach. 

The 3D-PCA overcomes these problems, as it is a system preventing any mistakes with the dosage or addition of drugs. In addition, it has no moving or mechanical parts that usually break quite easily.  “The low cost allows the whole device to be disposable and therefore takes away the potential danger of mixing errors as well as decreasing the staff workload,” said Dr. Breitenbach.