Frequently
Asked Questions
Q: I have
an ulcer on my foot that is not healing. What should I do?
A: Healing can
take many weeks, but the status of the ulcer after four weeks
is generally a good prediction of final healing potential.
So, if an ulcer has not shown progress towards healing after
four weeks of care, you need a more aggressive approach. Ask
your doctor or therapist about Circulator
Boot treatment. There are over 40 clinics that use this
method. The treatment process is non-surgical and is very
cost effective for our health care system. An un-treated ulcer
leads to a never-ending series of wound care sessions, doctor
visits, surgical resections, hospital stays, prosthesis fittings
and ongoing disability.
Q. Is this
like other compression bags?
A: No Other compression
systems, such as sequential compression, are primarily intended
for treating fluid retention and edema. With the Circulator
Boot, the compressions are timed to occur exactly at the heart
inter-beat interval to increase blood flow.
Q. Will it
work if there is an infection?
A: Yes You do
not need to clear up the infection before using the Circulator
Boot. The treatment will disperse medication such as antibiotics
through the affected tissues.
Q. My doctor
says I am a poor surgical risk. Can I still have Circulator
Boot treatment?
A: Yes Poor blood
flow, infection and certain cardiac problems that preclude
surgery do not produce problems with Circulator Boot treatment.
Deep-vein thrombosis is a contra-indication.
Q. I am facing
an amputation of my big toe. Will it help to heal the incision?
A: Yes The resulting
incision will need adequate blood circulation to heal properly.
Otherwise, an incision often proves to be difficult to heal,
resulting in further amputation. But why not focus on keeping
the toe? Your foot functions best when it is intact. Removing
the toe will make normal walking a challenge and likely lead
to further amputations.
Q. What does
Health Canada say?
A: The Circulator
Boot is available in Canada, It was listed as a therapeutic
medical device in 2001.
Circulator
Treatment Brochure
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