Compression therapy: a dramatic intervention in health care

Challenges of lymphoedema management in an ageing population

The risk of developing chronic oedema increases with age. Many factors affect the successful management of this condition, which a robust holistic assessment will identify. This article discusses some of the challenges and complications associated with managing this long-term condition, alongside comorbidities and the effects of ageing. It will consider the implications of wider issues such as social care and the current healthcare economy. The challenges of lymphoedema management can be overcome by offering a collaborative approach to care. This can be achieved by specialist practitioners offering support, advice and guidance on how to ensure satisfactory outcomes for patients in a timely manner.

An investigation of the ability to produce a defined 'target pressure' using the PressCise compression bandage

Compression therapy is the cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of leg ulcers related to chronic venous insufficiency. The application of optimal high pressure is essential for a successful outcome, but the literature has reported difficulty applying the intended pressure, even among highly skilled nurses. The PressCise bandage has a novel design, with both longitudinal and horizontal reference points for correct application. In the current experimental study, the results for the general linear model, where the data set is treated optimally, showed that all 95% confidence intervals of the expected values for pressure were, at most, 5 mmHg from the target value of 50 mmHg, independent of the position on the leg and the state of activity. Moreover, even nurses with limited experience were consistently able to reach the targeted pressure goal. Future studies are needed to determine how well the bandage works on legs of different shapes, the optimal way of using the bandage (day only or both day and night) and whether the bandage should be combined with an outer bandage layer. In addition, special attention should be paid to subjective patient experiences in relation to the treatment as pain, discomfort and bulk are factors that can compromise patients' willingness to adhere to the treatment protocol and thereby prolong the healing process.