Exciting news in the compression garment front!

Just read this exciting new article from The Engineer website.  Engineers from Nottingham Trent University are working on a smart garment to help with lymph flow that will be superior to compression bandaging. Of course this won't be ready commercially for quite a while but it is an innovative and promising new solution to help with lymphedema. Lets  hope this research works.

I am taking a short quote from their article here...

"According to Nottingham Trent, the new sleeve will be a highly-breathable fabric with integrated and flexible printed circuits and electrodes. The circuit (100 micron thick, 5mm wide) will be designed with low power in mind, researchers said, and batteries will be used for patients' ease of use - however, the team said that exploring harvesting energy from body movement or temperature could be a future possibility.

It is being created in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and £450,000 in EPSRC funding.

The sleeve – durable and washable, and adapted to fit different patients - will increase circulation of the lymphatic system, which is the network of channels and glands that remove excess fluid in the body.

The current recommended treatment combines specialist massage and compressive bandaging, skin care and decongestive exercises, which the researchers said are intensive and impact patient autonomy." ...

"The team told The Engineer that early work has shown that a square wave with a maximum of 30mA at a low frequency works well with lymphatic system and has shown a 60 per cent improvement. However, the voltage applied is limited below 100V-rms for safety consideration."

Imagine not having to wear compression garments! Go Engineers!

Reference: 

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/smart-textile-arm-sleeve-aims-to-relieve-lymphoedema/#:~:text=Engineers%20at%20Nottingham%20Trent%20University,discomfort%20for%20patients%20with%20lymphoedema.