Introduction:
Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) has demonstrated to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and improve survival in acute stroke.
Objective:
We aimed to implement a new IPC protocol in our non-invasive stroke unit by applying IPC in the hyperacute stroke phase.
Methods:
All acute stroke patients with high DVT risk and contraindication for pharmacological DVT prophylaxis received IPC treatment. In ischemic stroke patients treated with reperfusion therapies, IPC protocol was planned for 24hours; intracraneal hemorrhage (ICH) patients were treated with IPC during 72hours. Clinical and hemodynamic variables were recorded. Nurses and patients were interviewed for satisfaction with the new protocol.
Results:
From March to August 2015, we enrolled 132 patients: 75 male (56.4%), mean age 71+/-15 y.o., ischemic strokes 103 (79.2%). Time from admission to IPC application 102+/-375min. Duration of treatment in ischemic patients was 37+/-21hours while in ICH was 44+/-26hours. No patient presented DVT in our series. We observed 6 deaths (4.5%) and 66 patients (56.4%) presented other complications, none of them related to IPC. Only at implementation phase nurses referred a relevant work burden with the new protocol compared to classical low-weighed-heparin DVT prophylaxis. After training it only takes a mean of 6±1.5 minutes to apply the treatment. Only 3 patients (2.3%) presented discomfort, 2 of them with early IPC drop off.
Conclusion:
IPC treatment is feasible, safe, and comfortable for stroke patients in the hyperacute phase. It increases work burden for nurses only at the implementation phase.
46EVALUATION OF INTERMITTENT PNEUMATIC COMPRESSION DEVICES IN ACUTE STROKE PATIENTS
