After taking other review courses and studying integ, I learned that with a venous stasis ulcer, you should NOT use intermittent compression due to it increasing the risk of causing a pulmonary embolism. I learned that more so, if the patient’s ABI is > .7 or 70% blood flow, and they have good capillary refill, normal foot temp, and a good dorsalis pedius pulse, an Unna boot or stationary compression is more so indicated. I recently took a practice test which basically said that intermittent compression was NOT a contraindication to a venous stasis ulcer and that you could use intermittent compression with a venous stasis ulcer. Do you know for a fact if intermittent compression is a contraindication to a venous stasis ulcer?

A 2014 study: Compression therapy for venous leg ulcers by Brijesh Nair and published on the Indian Dermatology Online Journal indicates that compression therapy is the mainstay of treatment of venous leg ulcers (VLU). Compression is used for VLU. It narrows veins and restores valve competence and reduces ambulatory venous pressure, thus reducing venous reflux. It also helps decrease inflammatory cytokines, accelerates capillary flow and lowers capillary fluid leakage thereby alleviating limb edema. Good wound care and compression therapy will heal majority of small venous ulcers of short duration. The goals of compression therapy include ulcer healing, reduction of pain and edema, and prevention of recurrence.

Furthermore, intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) constitutes inflating and deflating an airtight bag worn around leg. IPC controls edema in case compression bandage and stocking has failed. IPC upon compression therapy may accelerate ulcer healing. It is particularly useful in patients with restricted mobility and when concomitant arterial disease is also detected, in this case, it helps reduce edema and enhance arterial blood flow. IPC may lead to improvement in hematologic, hemodynamic and endothelial effects which explains its role in healing of VLU.

(In other words, compression therapy, including intermittent compression, is NOT contraindicated in the treatment of VLUs).

The rest of the study makes for compelling reading and I highly recommend it. You may find the rest of the article here.

Reference 1