medi. I feel better.

Donning and doffing aids boost treatment compliance in compression treatment.With medi you profit from a wide range of practical donning and doffing aids – to meet the patients’ individual needs.

Swiss study proves:

Practical aids for the day-to-day lifeDonning and doffing aids in compression treatment

Venous disorders are still a very widespread and under- estimated disease. So it is important to recognise symptoms early and to treat them consistently to safeguard patients against later complications.

Compression therapy is the basic form of treatment for venous diseases. In order to achieve high compliance and ensure successful treatment in the long term, patients must wear their hosiery regularly. This relieves the symptoms and improves quality of life.

However, studies show that around 40 percent of all patients with venous disorders stop compression treatment prematurely1, despite the fact that putting on the stockings seems simple. A recent study investigated the effect that medical donning and doffing aids have on treatment compliance1. Do they make it easier to handle compression garments? The results say yes!Using these medical devices significantly improves the success rate when donning the stockings.

medi offers a wide selection of widely differing donning and doffing aids. The medi Butler was tested in the context of the study and provided convincingly outstanding results.

Donning and doffing aids can be prescribed by a doctor if necessary. They help reduce the drop-out rate in compression treatment.

1  K. Sippel, B. Seifert, J. Hafner (2015): Donning devices (foot slips and frames) enable elderly people with severe chronic venous insufficiency to put on compression stockings. In: Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 49, 221 - 229

Compression is only successful for treating symptoms such as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) if it is used correctly and, above all, regularly. The main reason why 40 percent of patients stop the therapy is problems with donning the stockings, for example due to eczema, dry skin, itching or an uncomfortable feeling of pressure. Above all older people or over-weight or immobile patients often have difficulties.

The study “Donning devices (foot slips and frames) enable elderly people with severe chronic venous insufficiency to put on compression stockings” by K. Sippel et al. investigated for the first time whether the use of different donning and doffing aids can

improve treatment adherence and thus compression treatment. For the study, selected study subjects (> 65 years of age) each put on one stocking with strong compression (CCL 3).

The results show that the success rate for donning the compression stockings increased from 73 to 93 percent. The study subjects also found the donning procedure easier and more comfortable.

40 patients aged 78.7 ± 6.4 years (57.5% female) with severe CVI (C4 – C6 according to CEAP) took part in the investigation. They required a compression treatment of 40 mmHg (CCL 3).

After comprehensive training, the patients were given the following compression treatment:• One CCL 3 compression garment: 34 – 46 mmHg

with an open or closed toe.

These donning aids were available to them:• Textile donning aids (n = 5): Easy Slide (Sigvaris),

Veno Glider (Salzmann Medico), Venotrain Foot Slip (Bauerfeind), Easy Slide Caran (Sigvaris), VenoTrain Glider (Bauerfeind)

• Frames (n = 3): Socks Jet with / without handle (Salzmann), medi Butler* (medi)

Putting on the compression stockings without donning aids served as the control.

The focus was on the following aspects:• Success rate of the donning procedure (correct

fit checked according to objective criteria)• Subjective opinion of the degree of difficulty

by the patients (1 = bad to 6 = very good)• The influence of secondary parameters on success-

ful donning (age, sex, users‘ previous experience of compression garments, BMI, abdominal circum- ference, mobility, grip strength)

• Patient’s preference (score 1 = unsatisfactory to 6 = very good)

The results at a glanceDonning and doffing aids boost treatment compliance

Donning aids for successful compression treatment for older patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)The course of the study in detail

* In the original study the name mediven Butler was used.

The objective results:

• Without a donning aid: 73 percent of all patients were able to put on a stocking with strong compres-sion (CCL 3) correctly.

• With a donning aid: the overall success rate rose significantly by 20 percent (to 93 percent).

• In patients with restricted mobility (e.g. little grip strength), the donning aids reduced the rate of unsuccessful attempts from 27 to 8 percent.

• Putting on a CCL 3 compression stocking with three of the five textile donning aids (Easy Slide, Venotrain Foot Slip and Easy Slide Caran) and with one of the three frames (medi Butler*) was significantly superior to donning without donning aids (Figure 1).

• The medi Butler* achieved the highest success rate of all the frames tested (90 percent).

• Important influencing factors for donning without a donning aid were „mobility” and “grip strength”. Only “mobility” played a role when donning with a donning aid. The patients‘ age, sex, weight, abdomi-nal circumference and grip strength had no influence on the success. Patients with previous experience did not achieve better results than inexperienced patients. The randomisation ruled out any “training effect”.

* In the original study the name mediven Butler was used.

no donning aid

Easy Slide

Veno Glider

Venotrain Foot S

lip

Easy Slide Cara

n

Venotrain Glid

er

Socks Jet w

ithout h

andle

Socks Jet w

ith handle

medi Butle

r

Figure 1: Objective donning success

■ Textile donning aid   ■ Frame* p < 0.006 (significant)

Subjective evaluation

• Donning with donning aids was subjectively rated considerably better than without.

• Putting on a CCL 3 compression stocking with four of the five textile donning aids (Easy Slide, Veno Glider, Venotrain Foot Slip, Easy Slide Caran) and with two of the three frames (Socks Jet without a handle, medi Butler*) was significantly superior (p < 0.05) to putting them on without a donning aid (Figure 2).

• Easy Slide, Venotrain Foot Slip and Easy Slide Caran were given the highest subjective ratings of all the textile donning aids (score > 4). The only frame to achieve this was the medi Butler*.

• The medi Butler also achieved the highest success rate in the subjective evaluation.

Conclusion:

When putting on compression garments, donning aids significantly improve the success rate with older patients and patients with restricted mobility who suffer from CVI and need compression treatment. They also make the donning procedure subjectively easier.

Figure 2: Subjective evaluation of donning

no donning aid

Easy Slide

Veno Glider

Venotrain Foot S

lip

Easy Slide Cara

n

Venotrain Glid

er

medi Butle

r

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

p = 0,0*

p = 0,005*

p = 0,0*

p = 0,78p = 0,028*

p = 0,56

p = 0,0*p = 0,0*

Socks Jet w

ithout h

andle

Socks Jet w

ith handle

* In the original study the name mediven Butler was used.

■ Textile donning aid   ■ Frame* p < 0.05 (significant) 

A wide range for every needThe donning and doffing aids from medi

The prescribable donning aids from medi are the right solution for every customer require-ment. Different models are available and can be perfectly integrated in the day-to-day life. There are also compact variants for journeys or special donning aids for sleeves.

medi Export Butler

• Donning aid for all compression stockings and garment lengths

• Handle length 35 cm

medi Big Butler

• Donning aid for all garment lengths• Handle length 44 cm• Wider frame for large calf circumferences 15 cm

medi Butler with variable handles• Donning aid for all garment lengths• Adjustable handles 37 cm – 58 cm• Particularly suitable for patients with restricted

mobility

medi Butler for pantyhose• Donning aids for pantyhose• Two parallel step-in frames for pantyhose• Suitable for all patients with compression

pantyhose

medi Reha-Butler • Donning aid for all garment lengths• Adjustable foot frame• Particularly suitable for older patients or those

with limited mobility at the ankle

35 cm

44 cm

15 cm

Maximum58 cm

Minimum37 cm

48 cm

57 cm

Indications• Severe obesity• Deforming diseases in the hands and wrists• Malformations• Highly inflammatory / severe degenerative

diseases of the joints• Forms of paralysis• Results of injuries and amputations• Severe stiffening of the spine / hips / knees

Tried-and-tested

quality since 1991

medi Travel Butler • Donning aid for all garment lengths• Easily dismantled• Particularly suitable for patients who travel

frequently

medi Butler with short handles

• Donning aid for all garment lengths• Handle length 24 cm• Particularly suitable for caregivers when

applying the compression hosiery to patients

medi Arm Butler • Donning aids for sleeves

Suitable for all patients with arm compression garments

medi Arm-Big Butler• Donning aids for sleeves• Wider frame for large upper arm circumferences

12.5 cm• Particularly suitable for patients with large

upper arms

medi Hospitalbutler• Simple handling• Time-saving and economical• Pain-free donning of thrombosis prophylaxis

stockings and anti-embolism stockings for the patient

• Also for use with calf injuries

medi 2in1

• Donning and doffing aid for all garment lengths• Handy design• Light and folds up – very compact and portable

medi Butler Off• Doffing aid for all garment lengths• Long handle• Particularly suitable for patients with restricted

mobility

24 cm

Confidence and competence in handling compression garments also increases compliance. Show patients that the right donning and doffing aid can enormous-ly simplify the donning of compression garments. Elderly and immobile people in particular will thank you for this tip.These arguments are convincing:

Highest success rate when donning compression garments: Even compression stockings with strong compression (CCL 3) can be put on easily and without help from others using the medi Butler*. Compared with other donning aids, the medi Butler* achieved the highest objective success rate (90 percent) (Figure 1: “Highest success rate with the medi Butler when donning compression stockings, even those that exert high pressure”)1.

Donning without help from others, even at an advanced age and with physical limitations: The patients’ age, sex, weight, abdominal circum- ference and grip strength all had no significant influence on the donning success rate. Only mobility (reaching for the donning aid with their hands) played any role at all with all the donning aids. Thus, the medi Butler* can be used without any problems by elderly (> 65 years of age) or immobile patients or those with limited physical ability.

Highest satisfaction among the patients: medi Butler* was also rated subjectively as one of the best donning aids as assessed by older patients with regard to difficulties putting the garments on.

Top marks for the medi Butler*: Many patients prefer the medi Butler* for donning CCL 3 compression stockings. Most of them rated it as “good” (score of 5, where 1 = unsatisfactory and 6 = very good).

Widest assortment:The donning and doffing aids in medi’s assortment cover the widely varying needs of the patients. They simplify the daily donning and doffing of compression garments and contribute to a high extent to the treat-ment success and compliance.

* In the original study the name mediven Butler was used

Reference

1 K. Sippel, B. Seifert, J. Hafner: Donning devices (foot slips and frames) enable elderly people with severe chronic venous insufficiency to put on compression stockings. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg (2015) 49, 221 - 229

More routine in compression therapyConvince your clients of the benefits of a donning and doffing aid

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