Pressure prediction by the simulation on the deformation after wearing pressure garment

A patient who suffered from severe burns or plastic surgery would wear a pressure garment over the wounded area to prevent the growth of hypertrophic scar and the value of the pressure exerted by the garment is crucial in the therapeutic process. This study uses the finite element method (FEM) to predict the interfacial pressure and a displacement approach is adopted. For verification, a pressure garment was put on an arm molded out of silicone and the contour of the silicone arm before and after wearing the pressure garment was scanned. The geometrical differences were computed to determine the deformation. The stress-strain behavior of the pressure garment was represented by a multi-linear curve and the deformation computed were then applied to simulate the response of the soft tissue using the finite element analysis software ANSYS 10.0. The pressure values at nine selected landmarks on the silicone arm were measured by sensor simulated pressures and sensor measured pressures at nine landmarks on the silicone arm were compared. Since the sensor was measuring the normal pressure due to the pressure garment, the normal pressure was calculated based on the stresses in x-, y- and z-directions. The trend of the simulated pressures followed the sensor measured pressures. This simulation method can provide a more accurate pressure prediction and will be very useful in designing the pressure garment and monitoring the progress of recovery. Therapists and pressure garment designers do not need to depend on rules of thumb and apply a single reduction factor in the fabrication of custom-made pressure garment to a patient. The effect of wearing pressure garment would be significant by an objective judgment.