The effect of intermittently applied external pressure on the haemodynamics of the lower limb in man

Abstract The effects of intermittently applied external pressure on blood-volume flow-rate in the femoral vein have been investigated in a series of 6 patients undergoing surgery for bilateral varicose veins. During the investigation, pressure was applied to the legs with the aid of an inflatable plastic splint, while blood-flow in the femoral veins was measured with an electromagnetic blood flow-meter. The investigation has shown that intermittently applied pressure increases the pulsatility of the venous flow-wave while leaving its mean level largely unaltered. It has been shown that the increase in peak flow is directly proportional to the rate of pressure application, being maximal at about 10 mm. Hg per second. It has further been shown that the increase in both the pulsatility and the peak flow reaches a maximum when the interval between successive pressure applications is 1 minute.