Effect of the thigh-cuffs on the carotid artery diameter jugular vein section and facial skin edema: HDT study.

Thigh cuffs, currently named "bracelets", consist of 2 straps fixed to the upper part of each thigh, applying a pressure of approximately 30 mmHg. Initially the thigh cuffs were designed and used to improve th comfort of the cosmonauts during their stay in zero g. Except a reduction of the "puffy face" aspect no other morphological nor hemodynamic significant change was reported even when the cosmonauts weared these thigh cuffs inflight for 10h per day during several weeks or months. The objective was to evaluate the distal arterial, venous and skin changes in a group of 8 subjects in HDT for 7 days and using thigh cuffs 8h during daytime, and in a control group also in HDT for 7d but not using cuff.