SCD's and TED hose

What you are referring to are called Kendall Foot Pumps. They are blue and wrap around the foot held in place with velcro. They are not made to walk around in, and should be removed before getting the patient up. I have used them in the OR quite a few times on leg cases. Nice thing about them is that you can turn on just one side, also they work well when the patient is quite large and the SCDs won't go around the leg properly.

Hope that this helps.........

There's now a leg-sleeve device that comes with a battery pack that you can walk around in.

The same company said the same thing about their footie version, but that's just as dangerous as their leg-sleeved one.

My SCDs were from my ankles to my hips. It was the SCDs on the thighs that I found particularly nice. I have to admit that it did immobilize me...but I wasn't going anywhere: pca, pulse ox, 0-2, foley (thank god!) and abdominal surgery (so, sleeping bowels!). When they wanted me to get up and walk they just unhooked the hoses.

NurseFirst

There's some controversy about SCD's on the Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the VA where I work. Some staff think that the part that inflates belongs on the posterior foreleg, others think it belongs anteriorly. I will not divulge my opinion in order to not effect responses. Thanks.

This is from the little experience I have with SCDs, having the part that inflates on the posterior side seems to make sense b/c the muscles are on the back on the leg. SCDs are suppose to promote circulation in pt. who are unable to ambulate enough to stimulate the circulation on their own.

In the hospital I work at the mds typically order both teds and scds. In fact, while a patient in this hospital, I was given both, and told to put them on with a bp of 210/110

We use the Kendal I believe we call them plexi pulses. They work well, no a patient is not to walk on them. Not safe.