EFFECTS OF MEDICAL ELASTIC COMPRESSION STOCKINGS ON INTERFACE PRESSURE AND EDEMA PREVENTION

BACKGROUND. Although medical elastic compression stockings are widely used in venous diseases their effects on the venous system are still l argely unclear. OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the pressure of these medical e lastic compression stockings on the skin and their edema protective ef fects. METHODS. On 18 legs the interface pressure of the stocking on t he skin was measured with the Rid Of an interface pressure measuring i nstrument (Oxford Pressure Monitor). Five different kinds of medical e lastic compression stockings were used. On 11 legs the edema protectiv e effects of the different stockings was evaluated with the use of air -plethysmography. RESULTS. All medical elastic compression stockings u sed in this study, especially the flat-knitted, showed it good pressur e gradient from the B1 level upwards. High pressures were measured at the dorsal foot and the pre-tibial zone. During cuff inflation a speci al edema protective effect was found in the round-knitted class II sto ckings. CONCLUSIONS. All class II and III medical elastic compression stockings used in this study have a sufficient pressure (especially cl ass III) and pressure gradient for the treatment of patients with chro nic venous insufficiency. Especially round-knitted stockings revealed high pressures on the danger areas such as the dorsal foot. All class II and III stockings provided an effective edema preventive effect; th e round-knitted stockings have the best performance, due to their rubb er components. (C) 1996 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surge ry, Inc.