A DIGITAL INSTRUMENT FOR VENOUS MUSCLE PUMP TEST

Abstract Design and development of a prototype unit to measure venous refilling time (VRT) and muscle pump capacity (MPC) during a venous muscle pump test (VMPT) is presented here. Instead of normalizing the photo-plethysmo-graph (PPG), as is common in the VMPT instruments in vogue, a suitable signal processing technique that extracts a signal proportional only to the blood volume changes underneath the PPG sensor is employed. Apart from the measurement of VRT and MPC, the prototype unit also provides a measure on the pulse rate.

Like any other part of the body, veins in our body can also become faulty. Faulty veins in the lower part of the body (legs) may lead to ailments such as varicose veins and venous thrombosis. The functionality of the veins is determined through the venous muscle

pump test (VMPT). In VMPT, the patient being tested is seated on a chair and is made to perform several (normally 8 to 10) dorsal flexions in quick succession thus emptying the veins of the lower limbs. The amount of blood pumped out provides a measure on the muscle pump capacity (MPC). MPC is normally expressed as a percentage. Once the dorsal flexions are stopped, the emptied veins of the leg refill with blood coming in from the capillaries. The time taken for the veins to re-fill and attain the same level as was existing at the start of the dorsal flexions is taken as the venous refilling time (VRT) . If the veins are healthy then the pumped out blood flows to the heart and the refilling of veins is determined only by the blood that flows from capillaries. If the veins are damaged, then a part (the amount depends on the extent of vein damage) of the pumped out blood flows back and the veins refill quickly. Thus VRT provides information on the status of the veins. In the traditional method of measuring VRT, the superficial pressure change in the calf muscle is measured with the help of strain gages. The measured pressure change is interpreted using empirical relationship and the VRT is determined there from.