title: A portable automatic pressure delivery system for scar compression therapy in large animals.
abstract: Compression therapy has long been a standard treatment for hypertrophic scar prevention. However, due to the lack of objective, quantitative assessments, and measurements of scar severity, as well as the lack of a self-operated, controllable, and precise pressure delivery technique, limited concrete evidence exists, demonstrating compression therapy's efficacy. We have designed and built an automatic pressure delivery system to apply and maintain constant pressure on scar tissue in an animal model. A force sensor positioned on a compression plate reads the imposed force in real-time and sends the information to a feedback system controlling two position actuators. The actuators move accordingly to maintain a preset value of pressure onto the skin. The system was used in an in vivo model of compression therapy on hypertrophic scars. It was shown that the system was capable of delivering a constant pressure of 30 mmHg on scar wounds for a period of two weeks, and that phenotypic changes were seen in the wounds.
authors: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20064, USA.
authors: Pejhman
authors: P
authors: Ghassemi
authors: The Burn Center, Department of Surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors: Jeffrey W
authors: JW
authors: Shupp
authors: The Firefighters' Burn and Surgical Research Laboratory, MedStar Health Research Institute, 108 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors: Taryn E
authors: TE
authors: Travis
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20064, USA.
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Gravunder
authors: The Firefighters' Burn and Surgical Research Laboratory, MedStar Health Research Institute, 108 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors: Lauren T
authors: LT
authors: Moffatt
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20064, USA.
authors: Jessica C
authors: JC
authors: Ramella-Roman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001331:Automation; D002138:Calibration; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D011312:Pressure; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059015:Wireless Technology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy
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