The use of intermittent pneumatic compression of the thigh to affect arterial and venous blood flow proximal to a chronic wound site

Abstract

Intermittent pneumatic compression of the lower limbs has been shown to have beneficial effects in patients with chronic ulceration. However, the intermittent compression cuff will normally be applied over the wound, which may produce discomfort or interfere with other treatments. Thigh‐only approaches to intermittent pneumatic compression could solve this problem. This study aimed to demonstrate if such a system would have positive effects on venous and arterial blood flow distal to the compression site, but proximal to wound sites. The distal venous and arterial effects of a prototype thigh‐only 3‐chamber sequential intermittent pneumatic compression system were tested in 20 healthy volunteers, and 13 patients with ulcers of various aetiologies using Doppler ultrasound. The system produced hyperaemic responses in the arterial flow of both test groups. The peak venous velocity on deflation of the first and second chambers of the cuff was also greater in the patients with ulceration than in the healthy volunteers (11.6 cm/s vs 8.3 cm/s, P = .1). This work demonstrates that compression of the thigh alone can produce positive haemodynamic effects in the calves of patients with chronic wounds, and that this approach should be investigated as a therapy to improve blood flow to wound sites.

The Effect of 12-Week Treatment with Intermittent Negative Pressure on Blood Flow Velocity and Flowmotion, Measured with a Novel Doppler Device (Earlybird). Secondary Outcomes from a Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

“…39 The mechanism is suggested to be a combination of stimulation of vasoactive substances, increase in the arterio-venous pressure gradient, reduction in venous-arterial reflex, and stimulation of arterial collateralization. 40,41 The mechanism of action of IPC is similar to those proposed for INPtreatment. The common feature being a manipulation of the venous reservoir, while INP may in addition perform an active suction on the capillary and arteriole vascular network.…”

A prospective pilot study of thigh‐administered intermittent pneumatic compression in the management of hard‐to‐heal lower limb venous and mixed aetiology ulcers

“…IPC has not been studied in ulcers of mixed aetiology, and there are no other studies that have used this type of thigh‐applied IPC device to treat chronic “hard‐to‐heal” venous or mixed aetiology leg ulcers. The only other study that used a thigh‐applied IPC is a recent published study from Cardiff University . This study provided the basis for our core hypothesis in conducting this study.…”

“…This was a pilot study undertaken to test the benefits of a unique IPC device designed to be applied in the thigh region of the affected limb in patients with lower limb ulceration of both venous and mixed (venous and arterial) aetiologies . The study was undertaken at a single site in the United Kingdom at the Section of Wound Healing at Cardiff University in 2011.…”

Innovative pneumatic device for combined seeding of various tilled crops

“…For example, if the angle α > 8°, then the seeds after falling will mix forward if α < 6°, then -backwards, which disturbs the order of sowing seeds. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] The air duct functions in two directions, firstly, it creates a vacuum, and secondly, it ensures the operation of the hoses 15 and 16, using the nozzle 14 built into it.…”