Project to develop a pre-production prototype of a new standard apparatus to test surgical compression hosiery

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Compression hosiery is used in the management of a large number of medical conditionsaffecting the venous and lymphatic systems. The appropriate product type, pressureclassification, and design are dependent upon the specific application. Graduatedcompression hosiery is used to improve venous and lymph flow in conditions such as ofvaricose veins, venous leg ulcers, post-operative deep vein thrombosis, and oedema.Venous ulcers are the most frequently occurring type of chronic wound affecting 1-2% of theUK population at any one time. This has a significant impact on healthcare costs anddrastically affects the quality of life of those afflicted with this condition. It is difficult toaccurately assess the cost for the treatment of all of these conditions with compressiontherapies. However, a good indication of the scale of the cost is given by the £800m perannum it is estimated to cost the NHS for the treatment of venous leg ulcers.The cost-effective management of these medical conditions depends upon understanding andknowledge of the behaviour of the bandaging system when deployed upon the leg of thepatient. Currently this understanding is based upon the classification of the bandage and thepressure that it is designed to apply to a limb. As matters stand, hosiery is classified into arange of pressure gradients defined by British Standard 6612: 1985. This Standard is basedupon tests performed employing experimental apparatus known as the HATRA PressureTester. However, there are significant limitations to the capabilities of the HATRA testingequipment.The invention of pressure sensors that are formed by a new, printable, ink-based technologyhas made it possible to create a testing apparatus that is far closer to a simulacrum of thehuman leg. It is proposed that such a device will allow the laboratory testing of compressionstockings and bandages that accurately reflects their behaviour when applied to patients.