The different types of bandages
Long-stretch or elastic systems
Long-stretch bandages (LSBs) are, by definition, bandages for which the extensibility is high: greater than 100% (or 120% depending on the bibliographic articles and the country). They contain elastic fibres and may be dry or cohesive.
The elastic behaviour provides constant pressure, which is almost the same at rest and at work, therefore leading to a low static stiffness index (SSI), with no or little massage effect.
This type of action is particularly recommended for immobile or not very mobile patients, incapable of activating their muscle pump.
Elastic systems need to be taken off at night since the pressure that they exert is difficult to tolerate when sleeping. The need for re-application every day can sometimes be a significant obstacle in terms of a patient’s compliance with treatment.
In addition, elastic systems, particularly when they do not comprise a visual compression guide, can be relatively difficult to apply without prior practice since they need to be applied at a 50% stretch level, which is difficult for an untrained person to judge.
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Short-stretch or low-elasticity systems
Bandages are defined as having low elasticity (or non-elastic) if they have an extensibility of less than 100% (or 120% depending on the bibliographic articles and the country).
Short-stretch systems deliver a low resting pressure and a high working pressure (high SSI), producing a significant massage effect when the patient walks. This massage effect reactivates the efficacy of the muscle pump by activating venous flow from the superficial network to the deep network. Short-stretch systems are therefore very effective in the treatment of severe stages of CVD, especially in the treatment of venous leg ulcers and severe oedema, since they significantly improve venous return and lymphatic drainage.
They are effective in sufficiently mobile patients and are particularly recommended in the event of severe oedema.
They can usually be kept on day and night, thanks to their low resting pressures.
However, there are some reports in the literature of a significant reduction in interface pressure after the first few hours following application, quite quickly leading to slipping of these bandages and the need to regularly re-apply the bandage. This is particularly true at the very start of compression therapy when the venous oedema is in the resorption phase.
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Multicomponent multilayer bandage systems (MLBs)
The first multicomponent multilayer system was developed by specialists at Charing Cross Hospital in London, based on studies conducted by Stemmer, who demonstrated that strong compression, in the region of 40 mmHg, was required for the treatment of venous leg ulcers in patients suffering from severe chronic venous disease.
A multilayer bandage system consists of superimposition of different bandages of variable elasticity to obtain a compression system combining the benefits of both short-stretch and long-stretch bandages. At work, it behaves like a short-stretch bandage, producing a marked massage effect. At rest, it provides constant intermediate pressure, which can be tolerated at night, making it possible to keep the system on for up to 7 days, without loss of pressure or slipping.
Traditionally, multicomponent multilayer systems consisted of 4 bandages. (Read more...)
product information: K two / Urgo K2
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