Pressure monitoring of multilayer inelastic bandaging and the effect of padding in breast cancer-related lymphedema patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study of pressure monitoring of multilayer inelastic bandaging and the effect of padding in breast cancer-related lymphedema patients aimed to measure the resting and working sub-bandage pressures in compression therapy for lymphedema patients and to determine whether applying additional padding has an additional effect in volume reduction of the limb. DESIGN: Forty-eight patients with breast cancer who were beginning complex decongestive therapy for lymphedema were included. In 24 patients, padding was added to the forearm. A short-stretch bandage with or without padding was applied to the affected arm. The working pressure was measured while the patients squeezed a rubber device. The forearm limb circumference was measured before and after 2 wks of treatment. RESULTS: The mean (SD) of the resting pressure was 36.3 (2.2) mm Hg without padding and 49.5 (3.2) mm Hg with padding. The mean (SD) of the working pressure was 9.5 (3.7) mm Hg without padding and 24.3 (9.1) mm Hg with padding (P < 0.05). The volume loss after treatment was significantly greater in the group with added padding (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The working pressure during exercising with a force of 50 Pa is approximately 10 mm Hg with a short-stretch bandage applied. Adding a pad increases both the resting and the working pressure and also seems to be effective in increasing volume reduction of the limb.

Characterization of protein-attached conducting polymer monolayer.

Cytochrome c (cyt c)-immobilized monolayers and multiple monolayers of a conducting polymer [poly(terthiophene-3-carboxylic acid) polymer (poly-TTCA)] were prepared, where the monolayer of monomer precursor was fabricated with the Langmuir-Blogett technique. Covalent immobilization of cyt c was achieved by the formation of an amide bond between the carboxylic groups of the conducting polymer and amines groups of lysine in cyt c. The monolayer of poly-TTCA and poly-TTCA/cyt c was characterized by cyclic voltammetry, XPS, EQCM, Auger electron spectra (AES), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The immobilization of cyt c on the polymer layer reveals the direct electron-transfer processes of cyt c. Cyclic voltammetry of the poly-TTCA/cyt c-modified electrode showed a pair of reversible peaks at approximately +212/+201 mV (Epa/Epc) versus Ag/AgCl in a 0.2 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0). The peak separation and the redox peak current of the poly-TTCA/cyt c-modified electrodes were gradually increased by increasing the number of poly-TTCA/cyt c layers on the electrode. The heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant (ks) of cyt c at the poly-TTCA/cyt c-monolayer-modified electrode was estimated to be 0.874 s(-1). The method provides a novel route for the fabrication of protein (cyt c)-immobilized and/or lipid (palmitoyloleoylphosphatidic acid)-immobilized monolayers and multiple monolayers of a conducting polymer. Cyt c bonded on the conductive polymer layers was applied for bioelectronic devices with unique functionality.