Impact of compression on velocity of venous and arterial main blood flow and cutaneous microcirculation of the lower extremity

Objective. To study the impact of compression on velocity of venous and arterial main blood flow of the lower extremity, as well as cutaneous microcirculation in the back part of the foot in healthy individuals and patients with decompensated forms of varicose disease and postthrombophlebitis syndrome. Materials and methods. In the investigation 56 individuals took part and divided into three groups: Group I – 20 healthy persons; Group II – 15 patients with varicose disease in decompensated stage; Group III– 21 patients with decompensated stage of postthrombophlebitis syndrome. In all participants of the investigation the index of ankle–brachial pressure, deep–femoro–popliteal index, the regional perfusion index, transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen and partial pressure of carbon dioxide, the arterial blood flow velocity in femoral artery and of venous blood flow distally from sapheno–femoral junction were measured before and after application of elastic medical knitwear of various Class of compression or the cuff pressure. Results. In the Class III compression in patients of Group III the transcutaneously registered indices crossing have occurred between partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide, accompanied by domination of the carbon dioxide partial pressure over the oxygen partial pressure while further enhancement of the compression Class. In patients of Group II this tendency was observed while application of Class IV compression only. At the investigation beginning the values of partial pressure of carbon dioxide registered were higher in the Group III patients, than in the patients of Group II (p=0.0001). Conclusion. While application of the Class III compression the velocity of the hip venous blood flow, comparing with its initial values, have lowered at average by 78% in patients of Group II and at average in 7.4 times in the patients of |Group III (p=0.0001). It is affordable in patients, suffering decompensated postthrombophlebitic syndrome, to apply the elastic compression of Classes I–II, while in those, having varicose disease in decompensated stage, – the elastic compression of Classes III and iV as well.