DYNAMIC IN-VIVO MEASUREMENTS OF THE PRESS URE EXERTED BY THE COMPRESSION STOCKING USING A MICROTIP PROBE

Conservative treatment of chronic venous incompetence is based on comp ression therapy. Carried out correctly, compression therapy improves t he venous return from the legs, and also relieves cutaneous congestion . These positive haemodynamic effects are, however, only obtained when the pressure exerted by the compression stocking remains within the d esired therapeutic range, not only at rest, i. e. while the patient is seated or reclining, but also during exertion while the patient is st anding or walking; furthermore, the pressure exerted must decrease con tinuously from the tips of the toes to the trunk. Using the dynamic pr essure monitoring system described here, the pressure exerted by the c ompression stocking can be measured continuously between the stocking and the skin at any desired site. The main component of the new microp rocessor-based system is a microtip probe for measuring piezoresistanc e. The probe has an integrated signal filter and is connected to perip heral equipment which records the measured data. The technical design of the system makes it possible accurately to record dynamic measureme nts of the pressure exerted by compression materials in vivo. This mea suring system represents a major step forward in understanding the dyn amics of compression during locomotion in vivo, and towards optimizing modern compression therapy.