New design tool for delivering graduated compression

ABSTRACT Pressure garments are elastic garments designed to exert pressure on underlying tissue, thus normalising hypertrophic scar tissue and preventing scar contracture following serious burn injuries. They are normally issued to patients once their wounds have closed, as they are discharged from hospital. The pressure exerted on the skin and scar tissue is determined by the patient dimensions, fabric and ‘reduction factor’ used in pressure garment construction, this varies widely and thus treatment varies widely. 16 years of research in pressure garment design and evaluation have led to the development of 3 simple pressure garment design (PGD) tools. Fabrics must be tested and bespoke equations built into the PGD tools prior to use. The first two PGD tools have been previously reported and allow medical staff to monitor the pressures they are exerting following the common practice of using a single ‘reduction factor’ to make all pressure garments or to exert a particular average pressure to a body part. The third PGD tool, presented here, will calculate garment dimensions required to exert a particular graduated compression profile up a limb. The PGD tool has data entry points that enable therapists to enter their patient’s dimensions and the pressure they wish to exert at each measurement point. The tool then calculates the garment dimensions required to give the desired pressure to an accuracy of ±1mmHg.