Pressure mapping and performance of the compression bandage/garment for venous leg ulcer treatment

Abstract 

A study has been conducted on the commercially available compression bandages as regards their performance with time. Pressure mapping of these bandages has been done using a fabricated pressure-measuring device on a mannequin leg to see the effect on pressure due to creep, fabric friction and angle of bandaging. The results show that the creep behavior, frictional behavior and the angle of bandaging have a significant effect on the pressure profile generated by the bandages during application. The regression analysis shows that the surface friction restricts the slippage in a multilayer system. Also the diameters of the limb and the amount of stretch given to the bandage during application have definite impact on the bandage pressure. In case of compression garments, washing improves the pressure generated but not to the extent of the pressure of a virgin garment. Comparing the two compression materials i.e. bandage and garment, it is found that the presence of higher percentage of elastomeric material and a highly close construction in case of garment provides better holding power and a more homogeneous pressure distribution.

Keywords: Compression bandages, Compression garment, Creep, Interface friction, Laplace equation, Mannequin leg, Venous leg ulcers