Arterial Flow Enhancement by Impulse Compression

Preliminary observations of rapid relief of ischemic rest pain following appli cation of a foot impulse compression device prompted this study to quantify its immediate effects.Blood flow was calculated by means of a duplex ultrasound imager interfaced with a Doppler spectrum analyzer.Twelve normal subjects and 10 patients with peripheral vascular disease (mean Doppler ankle/brachial systolic pressure index = 0.62 (range 0.33-0.74) were studied. Mean resting blood flow ( SD) was not significantly different in the two groups: 55.6 24.0 in normal subjects and 48.3 29.8 in the arteriopaths (p = > 0.1). During five minutes of pump application in a 45-degree foot-down position, mean popliteal blood flow increased by 93% in normal subjects (p 0.1).In 4 patients with vascular disease lying supine, impulse pumping produced no si...