Health and Care Technologies

Dr Lisa Macintyre: The treatment of medical conditions like hypertrophic burn scars, lymphoedema or the prevention of deep vein thrombosis, requires the use of medical pressure or compression garments to be worn by patients. But their effective use is a difficult bridge to cross as these compression garments must exert enough pressure to be clinically effective but also comfortable to wear, and the required pressure is different for different medical conditions, and their requirements.
Sometimes these garments can be worn from a few weeks to years depending upon the condition. So, what can be done to balance clinical pressure with patient comfort? Our research at Heriot-Watt has enabled us to publish the first method for calculating pressure garment dimensions, using equations derived from fabric tension profiles as well as the patient's dimensions, to exert known pressures - to burn scars or the same theory applies for other conditions. From this, we developed a Pressure Garment Design Tool, which is now used by companies all over the world to make garments, meaning that more people can receive the long-term care they need.