Intermittent pneumatic compression treatment for post-thrombotic leg ulcers

Abstract

In an open clinical, trial three patients suffering from persistent post‐thromhotic leg ulcers and five patients suffering from recurrent post‐thromhotic leg‐ulcers were treated by intermittent pneumatic compression therapy. For this purpose we used a novel device which produces both a sequential and graded pressure wave on the lower leg. Compared with previous conservative treatment only, intermittent compression treatment, together with conservative treatment, was found to shorten the ulcer healing time markedly. All the persistent ulcers which had not healed during the conservative treatment period healed during the intermittent compression treatment period. Skin oxygen tension, measured during the first occasion of compression treatment, was shown to increase. The healing rates seemed to correlate with decreasing leg swelling.