Antishock trousers: a comparison of inflation techniques and inflation pressures

Ten healthy male volunteers were studied to compare the effects of simultaneous versus sequential inflation of antishock trousers (AST) and simultaneous inflation pressures of 20, 40, and 100 mm Hg on blood volume displacement centrally. Radioisotope scans were used to determine the change in blood volume distribution with various inflation methods and inflation pressures of the AST. Our data suggest that the minimum inflation pressure that displaces blood centrally is 40 mm Hg, and that higher inflation pressures displace a greater percentage of the total blood volume to the central circulation than do lower pressures. The difference is small, however, and probably has no clinical effect. No difference was suggested between simultaneous and sequential inflation.