Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a life threatening condition and a serious concern among hospitalized patients, with death occurring in approximately 6% of cases. It involves the formation of a clot where stagnant blood flow occurs, predominantly in the deep veins of the legs. Three mechanisms underlie DVT, venous stasis (slowing or stopping of the blood), hypercoagulability (increased clotting) and damage to blood vessel endothelium (damage to blood vessel wall), collectively known as Virchow's triad. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) have been shown to improve lower limb blood flow. However, few studies have directly compared the two methods and those that have, have used outdated NMES devices. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a modern NMES device to intermittent pneumatic compression in terms of blood flow.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
Frequency of 36Hz, a balanced biphasic waveform with a pulse width of 350μs, a ramp up time of 500ms, a contraction time of 1s and a ramp down time of 500ms.
Programmed to deliver compression every 20 seconds at a pressure of 130mmHg for a 1 second duration over a period of 5 minutes.
National University of Ireland, Galway
Galway, Ireland
Blood Flow Measurements from the Lower Limb
Time frame: An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)
Blood Pressure
Time frame: An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)
Heart Rate
Time frame: An hour and a half (plus or minus half an hour)
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