[Effects on changes in femoral vein blood flow velocity with the use of lower extremity compression for critical patients with brain injury].
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to evaluate the mean venous velocity (MVV) response with knee and thigh length compression stockings (CS) versus intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices in immobile patients with brain injuries.


METHODS
We carried out a randomized controlled study. We analyzed both legs of a randomly chosen sample of 43 patients assigned to one of 4 groups (86 legs). The patients were sequentially hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) in "S hospital" from November 2005 to December 2006. The base line and augmented venous velocity was measured at the level of the common femoral vein. We applied leg compression 42 times over 7 days (for 2 hours at a time at 2 hour intervals).


RESULTS
There was a statistical difference among the 4 groups. The difference for the "IPC" group was more significant than the "CS" group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the application of IPC can be considered as an effective method to prevent deep vein thrombosis for immobile patients with brain injury.
Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School of Clinical Nursing Science, Seoul, Korea.
Jung Sook
JS
Kim
Hye Jung
HJ
Kim
Yun Hee
YH
Woo
Ji Young
JY
Lym
Chul Hyung
CH
Lee
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D048228:Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053828:Stockings, Compression; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control*