Regulating the pressure under compression bandages for venous leg ulcers.

A simple method for regulating the highest comfortable sub-bandage pressure is described. One way of regulating the pressure under the bandage is to vary the stretch of the bandage and the other way is to alter the number of bandage layers. With constant stretch, the pressure is proportional to the number of layers. The method with constant degree of stretch and gradually increasing number of layers was tested on 30 patients. Initially the patients received two layers of bandage. One layer was added each time the patient came for treatment, up to five layers. If the patient felt pain or any other discomfort the number of layers was decreased to the former number. About 27% of the patients preferred five layers, 60% four layers and 13% three layers.