Abstracts

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2011;1:206273 270

P202 INTRODUCING THE ACCUFUSER: A NEW SOLUTION FOR
AMBULATORY CONTINUOUS EPIDURAL INFUSION
Anthony Thompson,
1
Greg Barton,
2
Alison Coackley,
3
Clare Finnegan,
3
Charlie
Hyland,
3
Kosta Levshenkov
2

1
Willowbrook Hospice, Prescot, UK;
2
Pharmacy,
Whiston Hospital, Prescot, UK;
3
Willowbrook Hospice, Prescot, UK
10.1136/bmjspcare-2011-000105.202
Introduction Epidural analgesia is useful for some patients
with refractory cancer pain. However delivering a continuous
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Abstracts
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2011;1:206273 271
epidural infusion can raise some challenges regarding safety
and practicality. We present our experience of using the
Accufuser Elastomeric Vacuum pump.
Aims
To identify a delivery method for continuous epidural infu-
sion for ambulatory patients in the Hospice and Community
setting.
To develop policies and procedures and facilitate staff
training.
To facilitate discharge of ambulatory patients with contin-
uous epidural infusions.
Methods The Integrated Pain service performs joint con-
sultations and has monthly meetings to develop Policies and
Procedures and discuss complex cases. In response to patient
need we performed a literature review to select a device that
was portable, light, easy to ll, has long duration of action and
was safe. We met with the manufacturer to evaluate it fully
prior to use.
Result The Accufuser is an elastomeric device delivering a
near linear infusion with a patented piston preventing under
or over dosing. It has variable infusion rates and volumes. It is
lled aseptically in the hospital pharmacy in the aseptic unit
and we used a device which lasts 5.7 days. It was used for a
patient with severe perineal pain despite maximal tolerated
oral therapy who had benetted from bolus epidural analgesia.
Following titration of diamorphine, clonidine and levobupiva-
caine the patient was discharged and returned to the hospice
for renewal.
Discussion Introduction of the accufuser required an inte-
grated approach from the Pain team, Pharmacy and the
Specialist Palliative Care Team. Development of a policy and
patient leaets alongside intensive staff training was required.
We feel this is innovative practice and opens up the choices for
Units and Pain teams dealing with Epidural infusions. This
device is unique in its mechanism and patented technology
and offers a better patient experience.
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doi: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2011-000105.202
2011 1: 270-271 BMJ Support Palliat Care

Anthony Thompson, Greg Barton, Alison Coackley, et al.

infusion for ambulatory continuous epidural

Introducing the accufuser: a new solution
http://spcare.bmj.com/content/1/2/270.3
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