The pressure gradient

Since the 80’s, the science of lymphologyhas been admitted as an official medical discipline.
New scientists’ data and new concepts have boosted innovations in types of treatments and in equipment used.
Regarding the lymphedema matter, various techniques succeeded the pipe of VDM.
These are their proper action mode and their contribution to everyday treatments.

The «All-in one» compressions

Compressions in a non-chambered sleeve, gave no good medical and physical results.
Only a small and narrow sleeve, moved several times during the session could have shown a mere interest.
From that fact, the idea resulted of dividing the sleeve into several pressure chambers, in order to carry out a compression called “wavy compression”.

The wavy compressions

The drainage effect is carried out by a “pressure wave” going through the limb, from cell to cell, from the end towards its root.
The process is actually effective, but only simulates the “pneumatic” piping and requires an over number of cells.
Compression is then located only at the point of the pressure wave.
Though, the cells behind the pressure wave have the same pressure rate, and then result as the non-chambered sleeve.
The main drawback is that the effective phase of compression takes a too small part in the total duration of compression.

The mercury tube

The limb (arm, leg…) has to be plunged into a mercury bath.
The compression is then decreasing according to a perfect pressure gradient which rate of variation is linear.

But the density of Hg (13.6) means also drawbacks as:
- over pressure at the end of the limb whereas none in proximal
- huge vertical push (100 kg for a complete normal leg).

The manual lymphatic drainage

VODDER and LEDUC codified and taught manual drainage, anatomic and physiological reality of the lymphatic system.
Considered as perfect, careful and progressive, it is though a tedious and critical technique that requires experts’ knowledge and performance to give good and efficient results.

A new concept for the pneumatic drainage

Our goal was to bring a complete and steady concept by picking up the best from each of the previous techniques.
The challenge was to get an active phase of compression throughout the care.

Our TP05 and TP07 units were designed to provide faithfully the effects of these principles:
- activation of a distal-proximal pressure wave in multi-cells sleeves.
- pressure gradient with an end-root decreasing pressure
- dynamic pressures, throughout every phase of compression
- perfect application of pressure over the surface of treated limb

The action of the element of compression.

Pressure in itself is not dangerous, provided it is applied perfectly and completely. As an example, the scuba divers bearing several Kg/cm2 pressures without lymphatic damage have to wear high technical sleeves of compression.
Shape, inner materials and cells distribution are the crucial criteria to obtain optimum compressive force.

Generator and compression sequences

To get 100% case-adapted effects and results, the contents of every sequence must be accessible to the therapist.

Time has come to banish any stock formula in order to generate a maximum of independent adjustments:
- Speed /duration of pressurization of cells.
- Duration of total compression
- Duration of neutral position between two sequences
- Possibilities of modifying the cells connecting to the generator

Access to the whole range of pressures: (by comparison)
- low pressure (infra-minimal) from 30 to 70 mm of Hg
- medium pressure (normal) from 70 to 130 mm of Hg
- high pressure (supra-maximum) over 130 mm of Hg

The notion of “pressure gradient”

Basically, a “pressure gradient” means a pressure increase in a former cell due to inflation of a following cell (i.e. chamber of compression).
That cell will thus keep working until the end of the cycle, by increasing the hydrostatic pressure of the interstitial liquid. The action occurs in the surface tissues and then in the deep layers.
The checking gauges (TP05) or the digital chart (TP07) display the final result measurement: the decreasing compression.

The first chamber (distal) will successively take the pressures #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
The second chamber will successively take the pressures #2, #3, #4 , #5
The third chamber will successively take the pressures #3, #4 , #5
The fourth chamber will successively take the pressures #4, #5
The fifth chamber will be inflated with the 1st chamber initial pressure.