A PROSPECTIVE, MULTI-SITE, RANDOMIZED, CROSS-OVER, CLINICAL TRIAL OF A TWO-LAYER* AND A FOUR-LAYER† COMPRESSION BANDAGE SYSTEM IN THE TREATMENT OF VENOUS LEG ULCERS

Background Multi-component medical compression bandages are widely used to treat venous leg ulcers. The sub-bandage interface pressures induced by individual components of the multi-component compression bandage systems are not always simply additive. Current models to explain compression bandage performance do not take account of the increase in leg circumference when each bandage is applied, and this may account for the difference between predicted and actual pressures. Objective To calculate the interface pressure when a multi-component compression bandage system is applied to a leg. Method Use thick wall cylinder theory to estimate the sub-bandage pressure over the leg when a multi-component compression bandage is applied to a leg. Results A mathematical model was developed based on thick cylinder theory to include bandage thickness in the calculation of the interface pressure in multi-component compression systems. In multi-component compression systems, the interface pressure corresponds to the sum of the pressures applied by individual bandage layers. However, the change in the limb diameter caused by additional bandage layers should be considered in the calculation. Adding the interface pressure produced by single components without considering the bandage thickness will result in an overestimate of the overall interface pressure produced by the multi-component compression systems. At the ankle (circumference 25 cm) this error can be 19.2% or even more in the case of four components bandaging systems. Conclusion Bandage thickness should be considered when calculating the pressure applied using multi-component compression systems.

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Venous Leg Ulcer Healing: A Randomized Prospective Study of Long-Stretch versus Short-Stretch Compression Bandages

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/026835559801300206 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 59-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

L. Danielsen ◽

S. M. Madsen ◽

L. Henriksen

Keyword(s):

Ulcer Healing ◽

Venous Ulcer ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Compression Bandage ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

Venous Leg Ulcer ◽

Venous Leg Ulcers ◽

Area Reduction ◽

Compression Bandages ◽

Table Analysis

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a long-stretch bandage with that of a short-stretch compression bandage. Design: Prospective evaluation of healing of venous leg ulcers in blindly randomized groups of patients. Setting: Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. Patients: Forty-three patients with venous leg ulcers were included. Forty legs in 40 patients were evaluated at 1 month (34 patients), 6 months (32 patients) or 12 months (27 patients). Interventions: Both types of bandage were used at a width of 10 cm and applied using the same spiral bandaging technique. Main outcome measures: Ulcer healing and ulcer area reduction. Results: Healed ulcers after 1 month were observed in 27% of the long-stretch group and in 5% of the short-stretch group ( p = 0.15); after 6 months the corresponding figures were 50% and 36% ( p = 0.49) and after 12 months 71% and 30% ( p = 0.06). Using life-table analysis the predicted healing rate in the long-stretch group after 12 months was 81% and for the short-stretch group 31% ( p = 0.03). The mean of relative ulcer areas at 1 month was 0.45 for the long-stretch group and 0.72 for the short-stretch group ( p = 0.07), at 6 months the corresponding figures were 0.81 and 0.60 ( p = 0.25) and at 12 months 0.25 and 0.95 ( p = 0.01). Conclusions: The present study appears to indicate a Positive influence of the elasticity of a compression bandage on venous ulcer healing.

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