Does comprilan bandage have any influence on peripheral perfusion in patients with oedema?

Comprilan bandage may be an attractive treatment of leg oedema, but theoretically bandage could compromise peripheral circulation. The present study was undertaken to investigate circulation in the first toe before, during, and after treatment with comprilan bandage.

Blood flow rate was measured by the heat-washout method in the pulp of the first toe of 10 patients (eight women, two men, aged 75-94) with leg oedemas, and systolic toe blood pressure was determined by the strain gauge method. Oedema was scored according to a visual scale, and the patients were treated with comprilan (short stretch) bandage for 1 week. Toe blood flow rate was measured before, during and after the use of the bandages, and toe blood pressure was measured before and after the use of bandages.

According to the visual scale, all subject benefited from the treatment by reduction of oedema, and they reported increased well-being after. Blood flow rate was not significantly altered during and after the treatment. Systolic toe pressure was normal in all patients (R/L = 94/83 mmHg), and no significant change took place during and after the use of the bandages (92/90 mmHg).

Comprilan bandage has a positive effect on legs oedemas, visually as well as according to the patients well-being. The treatment does not have any significant influence on toe blood pressure. It cannot, however, be excluded that the use of comprilan bandage may compromise toe blood flow rate slightly (<5%). A larger study with more subjects has to be made to come this closer, and additional capillary blood flow rate should be measured in an area without arteriovenous anastomoses.