A new standard of care

Treatment for swelling conditions is stuck in the dark ages, and is an indignity to the up to 250 million people worldwide who live with them. As a common and underrecognized condition, treatment and tracking for swelling are both relatively crude. For some patients, a simple compression stocking or sleeve is enough, but for many, the only option is re-application of compression wraps at a specialized clinic several times a month. The wraps themselves impede wound healing, can’t be taken off, and shift over time, decreasing their effectiveness. With anatomical landmarks obscured under the swollen tissue, accurately tracking changes in swelling is also difficult.

While working on our mechanical counterpressure spacesuits, we were approached by doctors who saw translational applications for our fabrics in treating swelling conditions. We found that many of the same problems we faced to keep people alive in a vacuum directly translate to keeping people healthy on earth.

Through slight modifications of our compression textile, we are able to make breathable, low-profile, and custom-fit compression garments for people whose current standard of care takes them to the hospital once a week. With our novel metrics software, we can quickly and precisely quantify their healing in ways previously unimaginable.