Examination of a new mobile intermittent pneumatic compression device in healthy adults

Abstract

Aim: Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is an alternative method of compression treatment designed to compress the leg and mimic ambulatory pump action to actively promote venous return. This study explores the efficacy of a new portable IPC device on tissue oxygenation (StO2) in two sitting positions.

Methods: Twenty-nine participants were screened and recruited using (PAR-Q, CA). All data conformed to the Declaration of Helsinki and ethical principles. Participants attended two separate one-hour sessions to evaluate StO2 in a chair-sitting and long-sitting position. StO2 was recorded for 20-minutes pre-, during and post- a 20-minute intervention of the IPC unit (VenaproTM, DJO Global, CA).

Results: A significant difference was seen between the two seating positions (p=0.003) with long-sitting showing a 12% higher StO2 level than chair-sitting post intervention. A similar effect was seen in both seating positions when analysing data over three, time points (p=0.000). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons showed that significant improvements in StO2 (p≤0.000) were seen from baseline, throughout the intervention, continuing up to 15 minutes post intervention, indicating a continued effect of the device after a short intervention.

Conclusion: Post-operative care poses huge demands and cost to health services worldwide, so promotion of portable rehabilitation tools that facilitate community rehabilitation affords immense potential. Increasing StO2 through short-intervention sessions with this portable device within various health and sports-based practices, improving tissue health, potentially reducing post-operative DVT risk or inflammation. Such devices lend themselves to wide self-management implementation.