TY - GEN
T1 - Development of an intermittent pneumatic compression system to manage soft tissue mechanical properties
AU - Lung, Chi Wen
AU - Cheng, Tse Yu
AU - Li, Yi Jhen
AU - Liau, Ben Yi
AU - Jan, Yih Kuen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - The pneumatic compression system has demonstrated the potential to manage hypertrophic scar tissues using localized intermittent compressive forces. The underlying mechanism associated with these repeated, intermittent compressive forces is the remodeling capacity of collagen fibers of fibrous tissues in response to mechanical forces. Although intermittent compressive forces are clinically proven effective on managing hypertrophic scar, the optimal configurations of pressures and timing of intermittent compressive forces are largely unknown. In this study, we have developed a motor-driven ultrasound indentation system to apply programmable compressive forces and simultaneously assess soft tissue mechanical properties and responses. We further tested this system in various conditions with Institutional Review Board-approved protocols in human participants. The compressive force applied by the system was 40 mmHg on the skin of the forearm for 1 h with a frequency of 0.1 Hz. Soft tissue mechanical properties were assessed at three conditions, including (a) the forearm resting on the table with the wrist at a neutral position, (b) the forearm resting on the table with the wrist at 90° of extension or the maximal extension of the subject, and (c) forearm resting on the table with the hand holding a 1 kg weight. The effective Young’s modulus was calculated to characterize mechanical properties of forearm soft tissues. Before the 1 h intermittent compression treatment, effective Young’s modulus of conditions a, b, and c was 18.0, 11.3, and 16.8 kPa, respectively. After the treatment, the effective Young’s modulus of conditions a, b, and c was reduced by 13, 7, and 51%, respectively. The results support our general hypothesis that intermittent compression therapy may modulate soft tissue properties (e.g. hypertrophic scar). Future work should investigate the long-term effect of intermittent compression therapy on modulating soft tissue properties in patients with hypertrophic scars.
AB - The pneumatic compression system has demonstrated the potential to manage hypertrophic scar tissues using localized intermittent compressive forces. The underlying mechanism associated with these repeated, intermittent compressive forces is the remodeling capacity of collagen fibers of fibrous tissues in response to mechanical forces. Although intermittent compressive forces are clinically proven effective on managing hypertrophic scar, the optimal configurations of pressures and timing of intermittent compressive forces are largely unknown. In this study, we have developed a motor-driven ultrasound indentation system to apply programmable compressive forces and simultaneously assess soft tissue mechanical properties and responses. We further tested this system in various conditions with Institutional Review Board-approved protocols in human participants. The compressive force applied by the system was 40 mmHg on the skin of the forearm for 1 h with a frequency of 0.1 Hz. Soft tissue mechanical properties were assessed at three conditions, including (a) the forearm resting on the table with the wrist at a neutral position, (b) the forearm resting on the table with the wrist at 90° of extension or the maximal extension of the subject, and (c) forearm resting on the table with the hand holding a 1 kg weight. The effective Young’s modulus was calculated to characterize mechanical properties of forearm soft tissues. Before the 1 h intermittent compression treatment, effective Young’s modulus of conditions a, b, and c was 18.0, 11.3, and 16.8 kPa, respectively. After the treatment, the effective Young’s modulus of conditions a, b, and c was reduced by 13, 7, and 51%, respectively. The results support our general hypothesis that intermittent compression therapy may modulate soft tissue properties (e.g. hypertrophic scar). Future work should investigate the long-term effect of intermittent compression therapy on modulating soft tissue properties in patients with hypertrophic scars.
KW - Intermittent pneumatic compression system
KW - Massage therapy
KW - Scar
KW - Soft tissue interface
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U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-41652-6_30
DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-41652-6_30
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84986253435
SN - 9783319416519
T3 - Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing
SP - 317
EP - 325
BT - Advances in Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare - Proceedings of the AHFE International Conference on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare, 2016
A2 - Lightner, Nancy
A2 - Duffy, Vincent G.
PB - Springer
T2 - International Conference on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare, 2016
Y2 - 27 July 2016 through 31 July 2016
ER -