A novel pneumatic compression device Pneumasox®; a proof of principle

IntroductionThe gold standard treatment for Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) is compression therapy. Current types of compression therapy often lack properties like comfort and ease of use, which makes patient compliance challenging. Recently a new pneumatic compression therapy device was developed, called Pneumasox® (PSX). The device is based on Pascal's law, using air to create pressure. This could be an interesting addition to the current treatments.MethodsWe evaluated the pressure properties of the PSX. This was investigated by examining both the pressure inside the PSX and the interface pressure. For the primary outcome, the pressure was measured for three different settings (after first inflation, after 10 dorsiflexion movements, 2 min after the movements). This was separately investigated for the anatomical B1 and C point. As a secondary outcome, we investigated the reduction of the pressure after its application. All measurements were performed on a non-moving, dangling leg.ResultsThe average pressure in the PSX after the first inflation was 31 mm Hg. The average interface pressure was 33 mm Hg. Dorsiflexion movements initially resulted in a pressure drop of 14-16 mm Hg, but after 2 min the average pressures had increased to 27 mm Hg (PSX), 30 mm Hg (interface pressure, B1 point) and 31 mm Hg (interface pressure, C point). The average decrease in pressure after 30 min was about one-third of the initial pressure, with a peak during the first minute (6-7 mm Hg).ConclusionOur study suggests a promising role for the PSX in the treatment of CVD and especially for venous leg ulcers in an outpatient setting. However, further experiments are necessary to investigate the effects during daily activities. Considering the fact that the reduction is highest during the first minute, we suggest that repressurizing should take place after 1 min.