Ilgenfritz FM, Meier JR.
Venous velocity increase with pneumatic foot compression garment.
Angiology 1994 Nov;45(11):946-52

Department of Surgery, College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, Michigan.

Intermittent compression garments have been widely accepted for prophylaxis of deep
venous thrombosis. They have broad applicability in both elective and emergent
situations. Development of a new type of garment that acts to compress the plantar
plexus of the foot provides a potential method of prophylaxis for patients with
contraindications to the traditional calf- or thigh-high garments. Evaluation of
the ability of the foot compression garment demonstrates a statistically
significant increase in peak femoral venous velocity (40.6 cm/sec) as compared
with the resting state (25.9 cm/sec). This increase in femoral venous velocity is
comparable to that seen with single-cell compression socks. The authors conclude
that the recently introduced foot garment produces increases in peak femoral
venous velocity similar to those produced by existing garments and that use of
the foot compression garment may provide deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis in
patients who previously have not been candidates for a compression garment.