Archive for September, 2010

Portable Sequential Compression

Maybe you travel a lot for business. Maybe you care for a parent in their home, or maybe you prefer not to be tied to one area of the house. If you have lymphedema and need sequential compression, a portable device may make it easier to complete your lymphedema therapy.

A 2005 study in 30 people with lymphedema published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery found that a portable sequential compression unit called the SCD Express was just as effective at removing lymphedema fluid as a larger, stationery unit.

Compression units are pricey, and even portable versions cost upward of $1000 or more. If portability is important to you, talk to your doctor about choosing sequential compression that can go with you wherever you go. People who use this type of medical therapy may need to complete three to four 2-hour sessions a day. Having the flexibility to carry the unit with you may help you comply with your doctor’s compression instructions more easily.

And if you’re traveling, don’t forget your lymphedema sleeves, compression sleeves, and compression stockings, as well as compression stocking aids.

For sequential compression devices, your doctor may recommend a brand like PresSion, Flexitouch, BioCompression, Wright Therapy, or Kendall. Both compression garments and compression pumps are medical devices, can be somewhat complicated to operate if you’re new to using them and may require assistance to learn how to use properly. It’s tempting to go with an off-name brand to save a few bucks, but your doctor made a recommendation for a tested product for your situation, so it’s advisable to follow the advice of someone familiar with your specific health situation.

Compression Pump Guide

People who have lymphedema, a health disorder caused by the lymph node’s inability to drain fluid in the tissues, sometimes need a compression pump.

Part of treating lymphedema, especially lymphedema of the leg, may involve therapy with a pump. One brand is called the Lympha Press. The person with lymphedema puts a sleeve on the leg and hooks the sleeve to a plastic tube, which connects to the pump. Then the pump squeezes and releases the sleeve – kind of like a blood pressure cuff. This process encourages the flow of fluid in the leg so it can be removed from the body through urine.

If you use a pump in the hospital, you may need a catheter to collect your urine because you won’t be able to move easily while wearing the sleeve and because the process creates lots of urine. Your nurse may check how much urine you’re producing to see how well the compression pump treatments are working.

You may also need to buy compression stockings to wear when you’re not using your pump.

A physical therapist or nurse can help you learn how to use a pump at home.

Each compression session lasts 2 hours. You may do up to 3 or 4 sessions daily. You may need to do one leg first, then the other. Your nurse, doctor or physical therapist will tell you which pressure setting to use.

To use the pump, put it on a flat surface. Put on the protective stockinette, with the sleeve over top of it. Attach the hoses to the leg sleeve – hose #1 should attach at the foot, followed by #2, etc., until you get to #12 at the top of your leg. Prop your feet on a pillow or blanket so your toes are above your knees. Now connect the hoses to the pump and tighten them. Turn the pump on, and ensure the pressure is at the correct level.

If you have to do both legs, repeat the steps once your treatment time is up.

If you develop problems like chest pain, a fever, chills, drainage from your wound or you feel short of breath, give your doctor a call.