Development of prototype bandage lapper for constant tension bandaging required for effective medical-clinical treatments

Application of the bandaging materials is a skilled task and required considerable practice to perform it correctly. The variation in bandaging pressure is introduced due to different tensions applied by different persons during lapping. So, a handy mechanical bandage lapper is developed. This helps in keeping lapping tension uniform and adjustable irrespective of the bandager. Its proficiency is checked by bandaging two persons with different fore-arm circumferential measures. Bandaging is done at three different limb positions with and without the use of bandage lapper up to three layers by the same bandager. Three different lapping tensions viz; 0.40 kgf, 0.45 kgf and 0.50 kgf are set up for bandage lapper to study their impact on bandage pressure. Pneumatic bandage pressure mapper is developed for the measurement of bandage pressure. Seven trials separated by different time intervals are conducted for each variable. This has prevented record of consistency of bandage pressure measure by chance.Crepe bandage, normally employed for the management of Oedema in clinical treatment is used throughout the study. Higher coefficient of variations up to 15% in pressure values are found when bandaging done without the lapper. However, identical pressure, coefficient of variation less than 0.3% for all except 0.8% for bandaging done at 0.45 kgf for second person at position 1, is mapped when bandaging done with the lapper by the same bandager.