A dynamic compression system for improving ulcer healing: Design of a sensing garment

M. Hegarty, E. Grant, L. Reid, T. Henderson
2008 2008 IEEE International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration for Intelligent Systems  
Venous leg ulcers remain a major problem in the United States, with spending reaching upwards of $1 billion annually. Current treatment options center around the use of compression therapy, which is often delivered in the form of compression bandages, medical-grade stockings, or pneumatic devices. These technologies suffer from a lack of adaptability and/or portability, which may cause inefficient healing. A potential solution to this problem involves the use of an intelligent system that can
more » ... ry the amount of compression delivered based upon measured physiological variables. A sensing system capable of monitoring both blood flow velocity and the extent of edema/swelling in the lower leg was built, and preliminary tests were conducted. The results of this testing show that the system can accurately detect small changes in leg volume, but is not sensitive enough to measure blood flow velocity. New techniques for measuring blood flow velocity are currently being sought. Upon successful implementation of these technologies, a larger scale study will be conducted in order to generate a robust data set from which a control system can be derived.
doi:10.1109/mfi.2008.4648053 dblp:conf/mfi/HegartyGRH08 fatcat:qca3ncistjdlzfczwmld4e2vvq