The abstract “How The ArtAssist Pneumatic Compression Device Can Heal Ulcers From Critical Limb Ischemia And Relieve Rest Pain Noninvasively” presented by Prof. Andrew Nicolaides, MS, FRCS at VEITHsymposium 2012 is now available for download from the VEITHsymposium website. We have also included it on our References/Clinical Studies page.
Enjoy! http://www.veithsymposium.org/abstracts/vei/208.pdf
ArtAssist®…The Arterial Assist Device®
Compression pump systems for peripheral arterial disease treatment and wound care are becoming more and more popular these days. As more people seek treatment for conditions caused by poor circulation, the number of cases contraindicated for surgical intervention also rises. So, to find an alternative to amputation, some medical device makers are advertising their pumps as a solution.
In general, here’s what you’ll see:
Here’s a secret, though: most of these “arterial pumps” are nothing but DVT prophylaxes or lymphedema pumps that are modified to exert more pressure. Minor adjustments such as these have been largely untested in a clinical setting and therefore yield fairly unpredictable results.
ACI Medical is the only device maker to have uncovered the most important aspect of compression therapy as a means of treating PAD: rapid compression (under 0.5 seconds) that serves as a close physiological substitute for brisk walking.
Unlike all other compression pumps, ACI Medical’s ArtAssist® Arterial Assist Device® was engineered on the premise of understanding the underlying physiology of increasing arterial blood flow and focusing on results that will benefit patients with critical limb ischemia. Since developers and researchers understood how important exercise was for patients with arterial disease, they engineered a device that would bring the important physiological benefits of walking to patients with limited mobility.
Early physiological studies led by Dr. Paul van Bemmelen, Professor Andrew Nicolaides, and others showed a great understanding of the vascular system of the legs. When we exercise, our calf muscles push blood rapidly through the veins to the heart where it can be recycled and directed back towards the leg muscles with essential nutrients. Therefore, in patients who have difficulty walking, it was essential to emulate the calf muscle’s role in pumping blood without having the patient do exercise.
So, when a patient uses the ArtAssist® device, it is as if the device system is “walking” for them. Patients do not experience pain and, over a period of about three months, benefits become long-term.
The real experts on Arterial Pump Technology are only a click or call away. Email info@acimedical.com or call toll free (888) 4 LEG FLO
Relevant clinical trials using the ArtAssist® device:
Rapid Intermittent Compression Increases Skin Circulation in Chronically Ischemic Legs with Infra-popliteal Arterial Obstruction.
van Bemmelen, P.S.; Weiss-Olmanni, J. and Ricotta, J.J. Div. of Vascular Surgery, State University of New York, Stony Brook.
VASA 2000;29:47-52
The Contributions of Arterial and Venous Volumes to Increased Cutaneous Blood Flow During Leg Compression. Eze, A.R.; Cisek, P.L.; Holland, B.S.; Comerota, A.J. Jr.; Veeramasuneni, R.; and Comerota, A.J. Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Charlotte and Gastonia, North Carolina. Annals of Vascular Surgery, 1998;12:182-186
Effects of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression of the Calf and Thigh on Arterial Calf Inflow: A Study of Normals, Claudicants, and Grafted Arteriopaths. Delis, K.T.; Husmann, J.W.; Cheshire, N.J.; and Nicolaides, A.N. Imperial College School of Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK. Surgery, 2000, Vol. 129, No. 2, p. 188-195
PAD stands for peripheral arterial disease. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, PAD affects 8 to 12 million Americans. The severity of this disease’s symptoms can range from intermittent claudication (trouble walking long distances due to discomfort in the calf, thigh or hip) to gangrene and tissue death due to the utter lack of circulation in the foot.
All of us medically-conscious folks know how heart attacks are caused – if we eat too many hamburgers, spend a few too many hours lounging around, have picked up the habit of smoking, or are just genetically unfortunate, our arteries begin to harden (atherosclerosis) and plaque builds up over time, blocking important circulation from getting to the heart.
The same thing happens in our legs for the same reasons! Our PAD Category refers to a wealth of online articles about this disease that affects not only Americans, but millions of people around the world. One that I found highly informative, especially if you’re just learning about PAD, is this one published in The Times of India.
Working for a company whose medical devices come to the aid of patients suffering from severe PAD has given me both knowledge and hope for those who have run out of reliable treatment options.
For National PAD Awareness, I encourage you to educate yourself on what causes PAD, what treatments are typically prescribed, and where to look when even surgical intervention is not possible.
Since 1998, ArtAssist®…the Arterial Assist Device has helped many patients avoid PAD-related amputation. Read about what a few of them have to say.
The reason we named it “ArtAssist®” is because this specially engineered pump and cuff system gives patients’ limbs exactly what they need to heal: more arterial blood flow. The ideal candidate for this uniquely optimized, completely non-invasive therapy suffers from severe symptoms of peripheral arterial disease – arterial occlusive disease of the upper and lower extremities. In a mere matter of weeks, patients see dramatic improvements, such as lessening of pain and wounds that finally begin to heal as a result of the improved circulation that ArtAssist®…the Arterial Assist Device® promotes. In as little as 90 days, daily usage of the ArtAssist® device can result in permanent improvements to the treated limb’s arterial circulation.
