title: The effect of the position of the limb on venous impulse foot pumps.
abstract: Compression foot pumps are widely used for the prevention of postoperative venous thrombosis. We tested the efficiency of the pump in ten healthy subjects; the velocity of venous blood flow in the common femoral vein was measured in the horizontal, Trendelenberg (foot-up) and reverse-Trendelenberg (foot-down) positions. Application of the foot pump produced an increase in the venous velocity in all subjects. The mean increase in the horizontal position was 27.2% and in the Trendelenberg position 15.4%. In the reverse-Trendelenberg position, the foot pump produced a mean increase of 102.8%. The efficiency of the compression foot pump in increasing venous return is improved by adopting the reverse-Trendelenberg position. This may increase its thromboprophylactic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Non-Invasive Vascular Studies, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Irish Republic.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Devitt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012016:Reference Values; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex