Usability of advanced pneumatic compression to treat cancer-related head and neck lymphedema: A feasibility study

Harvey N. Mayrovitz, Shelly Ryan PT, James M. Hartman MD. Head& Neck. 2017;1–7

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Usability of advanced pneumatic compression to treat cancer-related head and neck lymphedema: A feasibility study

Harvey N. Mayrovitz, Shelly Ryan PT,  James M. Hartman MD. Head& Neck. 2017;1–7

Background: This functional usability study assessed ease of use, fit, comfort, and potential clinical benefits of advanced pneumatic compression treatment of cancer related head and neck lymphedema.

Methods: Patient-reported comfort and other treatment aspects were evaluated and multiple face and neck measurements were obtained on 44 patients with head and neck lymphedema before and after 1 treatment session to assess usability and treatment-related lymphedema changes.

Results: A majority of the patients (82%) reported the treatment was comfortable; most patients (61%) reported feeling better after treatment, and 93% reported that they would be likely to use this therapy at home. One treatment produced overall small but highly statistically significant reductions in composite metrics (mean6SD) of the face (82.564.3cm vs 80.964.1cm; P<.001) and neck (120.4612.2cm vs 119.2612.1cm; P<.001) with no adverse events.

Conclusion: Results found the treatment to be safe, easy to use, and well tolerated while demonstrating edema reduction after a single initial treatment.

Main findings

  • Small sample size of 44.
  • Flexitouch System The head and neck garments are constructed of nylon with a total of 14 pneumatic chambers covering part of the head, neck, and chest.
  • 32 minute session.
  • Assessment domains included garment comfort; treatment comfort; feeling posttreatment; and likeliness to use at home.
  • Within 1 treatment session, most subjects (70%) were able to don the garments independently and almost all were able to doff the garments without assistance supporting ease of use.
  • A high majority of subjects (93%) reported the likelihood of at-home use of this device and almost 70% of the patients reported feeling better after the initial treatment session.
  • 63% of patients experienced a clinically significant reduction in either neck or facial composite measurements after just 1 pneumatic compression device treatment.