Blackshear WM Jr, Prescott C, LePain F, Benoit S, Dickstein R, Seifert KB.
Influence of sequential pneumatic compression on postoperative venous function.
J Vasc Surg 1987 Mar;5(3):432-6

Department of Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa 33612.

Sequential external pneumatic compression (SEPC) has been reported to decrease
the incidence of acute deep venous thrombosis in postoperative patients by a
direct mechanical action on the lower extremity veins and/or by inducing
alterations in systemic fibrinolysis. To evaluate the effect of SEPC on venous
function in the postoperative patient, pre- and postoperative venous capacitance
(VC) and outflow (VO) were measured in a series of general surgical patients. In
phase I, 17 limbs were evaluated in patients who had been fully ambulatory
preoperatively and at complete bed rest postoperatively. VC decreased from 3.19
+/- 0.43 cc/100 cc of tissue (mean +/- standard error of the mean) preoperatively
to 2.08 +/- 0.34 cc/100 cc of tissue postoperatively (p less than 0.05) and VO
decreased from 87.2 +/- 10.6 cc/100 cc of tissue/min preoperatively to 58.1 +/-
8.7 cc/100 cc of tissue/min postoperatively (p less than 0.025). In phase II SEPC
was begun preoperatively and continued for 24 hours postoperatively on one limb
of 20 patients. SEPC prevented the decrease in VC and VO both in the pumped leg
(VC-2.65 +/- 0.26 cc/100 cc of tissue preop, 2.40 +/- 0.18 cc/100 cc of tissue
postop, p greater than 0.2; VO-72.3 +/- 5.9 cc/100 cc of tissue/min preop, 66.2
+/- 5.3 cc/100 cc of tissue/min postop, p greater than 0.2) and in the unpumped
limb (VC-2.85 +/- 0.18 cc/100 cc of tissue preop, 2.41 +/- 0.24 cc/100 cc of
tissue postop, p greater than 0.05; VO-66.1 +/- 5.2 cc/100 cc of tissue/min
preop, 66.7 +/- 6.7 cc/100 cc of tissue/min postop, p greater than 0.5).(ABSTRACT
TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)