CIRCAID LEGGING VS. COMPRESSION STOCKINGS
Richard K. Spence, MD, Elizabeth Cahall, RN, BSN, Department of Surgery, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Camden, New Jersey. This study compared the ability of 30-40 mmHg below-knee compression stockings to the CircAid Garment (CircAid Products, San Diego, CA) to reduce and maintain limb circumference and to improve abnormal venous hemodynamics in 10 patients (20 limbs) with Class III CVI, defined by history, air plethysmography (APG) chronic stasis and/or ulceration. APG studies plus ankle/calf measurements were taken on separate days with no compression (B), stockings (S) and CircAid. Tests were performed at two and six hours after patients had donned new garments. Results were analyzed using non-parametric measures because of sample size. Conclusions: In this small group of patients, the CircAid garment was superior to stockings in reducing and maintaining limb circumference and venous volume while decreasing reflux and improving hemodynamics in Class III CVI patients. Presented at the 8th Annual Meeting Of The American Venous Forum, February 22-24, 1996 San Diego, CA. Published November 1996 in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.