title: The impact of intermittent pneumatic compression devices on deep venous flow velocity in patients with congestive heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) has been used to prevent deep venous thrombosis (DVT), but the effects of IPC on the hemodynamics of popliteal and soleal veins, especially in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of IPC on the flow velocity of deep veins in the lower extremities and to compare the efficacy of two different types of IPC in deep venous flow enhancement in patients with CHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow velocities of popliteal and soleal veins were recorded in 19 patients with CHF and in 19 control subjects using a high-resolution linear probe. Peak and mean flow velocities were measured (1) at rest, (2) with sequential foot and calf IPC (SFC-IPC) which consists of an electrically driven air compressor and four air chambers, and (3) with impulse foot IPC (IF-IPC) which consists of a pneumatic impulse generator operated at an applied pressure of 130 mmHg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the resting condition, popliteal venous flow velocity in the CHF group was attenuated (12.8+/-4.7 cm/s vs. 21.1+/-13.5 cm/s; p<0.05). Both SFC-IPC and IF-IPC increased venous velocity, but the increase with IF-IPC in CHF patients was lower than that in control subjects. In the soleal veins, after applying SFC-IPC, the peak and mean velocity in CHF increased to the same extent as in the control group. IF-IPC increased soleal venous velocity in control subjects, but there was no increase in CHF patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two-dimensional Doppler scanning revealed a significant increase in the mean and peak velocities in the soleal and popliteal veins with SFC-IPC but not with IF-IPC in patients with CHF. These results indicate that SFC-IPC could have favorable effects in preventing DVT in patients with CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan. nose@c-able.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nose
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukagawa
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Takehisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Susa
authors.forename: Chikage
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Masunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D048228:Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Devices; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011152:Popliteal Vein / Q000502:physiology; D014680:Veins / Q000502:physiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000517:prevention & control