Houva II - V

1. Device Overview

HOUVA® phototherapy booths deliver controlled ultraviolet (UV) light for the medical treatment of dermatologic disorders. Systems are available with two controller families:

• Houva-NET™ (Touchscreen) – networked PC interface with built-in dosimetry (“device profile” uses a photosensor to convert a prescribed dose into exposure time).
• PhotoSense® / DermaSense® (Keypad) – door-mounted keypad with output (mW/cm²), dose (mJ or J), and time windows; supports manual warm-up, profiling/sensor read, and dose-calculated treatments.

Typical lamp configurations include NB-UVB, UVA, and (model-dependent) UVA-1. Use only as directed by a physician.

2. Indications for Use

For treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo, and other physician-diagnosed skin disorders in a clinical setting.

3. Warnings & Safety

• Prescription use only. Do not use for cosmetic tanning.
• Always wear UV-blocking goggles during exposure; cover all non-treated skin (≥ SPF 15–30 per clinic policy).
• UVA/PUVA: follow psoralen drug labeling; wear wrap-around UVA-blocking sunglasses for 24 hours post-dose when in direct or indirect sunlight (including through windows).
• Do not operate near water; ensure proper grounding and clearance for ventilation; one patient in the booth at a time.
• Medications and cosmetics may photosensitize; evaluate before treatment.

4. Setup & Site Prep

1. Electrical: Booths are hard-wired (typ. 208 VAC) with required disconnect and breakers; install per NEC and facility code.
2. Clearance & environment: Dry room; provide 4–6 in (10–15 cm) clearance for airflow; avoid chemical vapors.
3. Warm-up & profiling: Before first use each week (or per clinic policy), perform a lamp profile / device profile so the controller can calculate exposure time from the current lamp output.

5. Operating Instructions (Both Controllers)

5A. Houva-NET™ Touchscreen (HOUVA 5 family)

1. Log in at Houva-Central (clinic workstation) and at the device touchscreen with authorized credentials. Confirm the patient’s protocol, skin type, and primary device.
2. Profile the device: run a Device Profile. The system measures lamp output; exposure time is calculated as Desired Dose ÷ Profile Reading (seconds). Re-profile weekly or after lamp changes.
3. Prepare patient: center stance; arms slightly away from trunk; fingers spread if hands are treated. Don goggles; shield/genital protection per policy.
4. Treat: select patient → verify dose/time shown → close doors. If “Start treatment manually” is enabled, press Start; otherwise treatment begins when doors close. Audible signal on completion.
5. Interruptions: opening doors pauses; closing resumes (or press Start, per settings).

5B. PhotoSense® / DermaSense® Keypad (HOUVA II / HOUVA III–IV)

1. Unlock:
   • HOUVA II / PhotoSense: turn key to ON.
   • HOUVA III–IV / DermaSense: enter the PIN (factory default 0000) → change PINs/permissions in SETUP > PINS.
2. Warm-up & measure (if using external meter): run a 5-min warm-up, place probe, and record output (mW/cm²). For DermaSense, run 5-minute profile to use built-in sensors.
3. Enter values:
   • Set OUTPUT (mW/cm²) if required → press DOSE to enter prescribed dose (mJ for UVB/NB-UVB or J for UVA) → press CALC to compute time.
   • In DermaSense INTEGRATING mode, time auto-adjusts for line-voltage drift at ~80% completion.
4. Start/pause/stop: press START. Use STOP to pause; patient door-open will pause (“DOOR” displayed); close to resume if enabled.
5. Maxima & limits (controller-specific): the unit enforces maximum treatment time/dose to reduce erythema risk (see Safety).

Patient positioning (all models): stand centered for uniform exposure; keep fingers spread and arms slightly out to avoid shadowing.

6. Treatment Protocols (NB-UVB & UVA)

NB-UVB – Psoriasis (clearing phase, ~3×/week)

Starting dose by skin type: I: 130 mJ/cm²; II: 220; III: 260; IV: 330; V: 350; VI: 400 mJ/cm². Increase per skin type each visit if no erythema (e.g., +15 mJ for Type I → +65 mJ for Type VI). Estimated goal doses range ~520–1600 mJ/cm² by skin type.

UVA (PUVA) – Psoriasis

Starting dose by skin type: I–II: 1.0 J/cm²; III–IV: 2.0; V–VI: 4.0 J/cm². Increase 0.5 J (Type I) or 1.0 J (Types II–VI) per response; hold if pinkening; do not treat until erythema resolves if significant.

Vitiligo (NB-UVB)

Non-pigmented skin is treated as Skin Type I. A common approach is ~70% MED initial, then +10% per session until repigmentation begins, then hold and transition to step-down maintenance once ~75% repigmented.

Missed-treatment restarts: If a gap occurs, reduce to the prior dose or step back per clinic policy; larger gaps (≥2–4 weeks) often require 25–75% reductions or re-start.

7. Cleaning & Maintenance

• Power down and open breakers before cleaning.
• Wipe interior/exterior plastics and grilles with approved disinfectant; do not spray directly on electronics.
• Profiling & sensors: Profile weekly; calibrate/replace photosensors annually (DermaSense/Houva-NET) per OEM; record readings.
• Lamps: Replace at end-of-life; reset lamp-hour counters (DermaSense) only when all lamps of a type are replaced.

8. Troubleshooting & Faults

• Booth won’t start: check facility breaker and booth breakers; verify Houva-Central/router (Houva-NET) are on and cabled.
• Door opened: treatment pauses (“DOOR” message). Close to resume or press Start.
• Service/fault codes: controllers may alarm and display errors (e.g., sensor/voltage faults). Silence alarm, note code, and contact service if the error recurs.
• Output too low/high: controller may block treatment if output is outside allowed range; re-profile, verify sensors are clear, and recheck power.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need goggles for body treatments? Yes—every treatment, entire time.
• How often should I profile? At least weekly or after lamp/service changes (clinic policy may require more frequent profiling).
• What if erythema occurs? Hold or reduce per protocol; never treat Grade 2+ erythema until resolved.
• PUVA specifics? Time the psoralen ingestion per label and use UVA-blocking sunglasses for 24 hours after dosing.

10. Downloadable Resources

• HOUVA 5 – Houva-NET™ Operations Manual (PDF)
• HOUVA II – PhotoSense® Operations Manual (PDF)
• HOUVA III/IV – DermaSense® Operations Manual (PDF)
• Patient Treatment Logs & Clinic Forms