Whitelaw GP, Oladipo OJ, Shah BP, DelMuth KA, Coffman J, Segal D.
Evaluation of intermittent pneumatic compression devices.
Orthopedics 2001 Mar;24(3):257-61

Department of Orthopedics, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, Jamaica Plain, Mass 02130, USA.

Venous blood flow rate in the lower extremity after applying different pneumatic
compression devices was evaluated. Five healthy individuals, aged 21-35, were
recruited for this study. The ability of six different pneumatic compression
devices to increase femoral venous blood flow velocity was analyzed and compared
to that of active and passive foot dorsiflexion. Baseline venous blood flow
velocity was measured using an ATL Duplex Doppler before leg compression. Venous
blood flow velocity was then monitored before, during, and after each compression
cycle. Average peak venous velocity increased >200% on dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Among the investigated devices, the increase in venous velocity varied
significantly. Design of compression chambers enabling compression on the lateral
and medial aspects of the calf produced an increase in venous velocity closest to
active foot dorsiflexion. Foot compression devices produced the smallest increase
in venous velocity. The relative effectiveness of pneumatic compression devices,
particularly with respect to increasing venous blood flow in the lower extremity,
may correlate well with how closely the device simulates the physiologic
contraction of the calf muscles. Clinical trials are needed to further compare
the effectiveness of these devices, as other less readily measured factors play a
role in thromboprophylaxis.