New device delivers faster, painless leg health checks
A wireless, cuffless device - Bluedop - is transforming how clinicians assess blood flow and determine the cause of leg ulcers, thanks to funding from Hillingdon Hospitals Charity.
The handheld device has reduced scanning time from 15 minutes to just over 7 minutes, enabling our teams to identify different types of leg ulcers, including venous leg ulcers, more efficiently. Venous leg ulcers are the most prevalent type of leg ulcer in the UK, accounting for over 60% of all cases. They typically develop after a minor injury when prolonged high pressure in the leg veins weakens the skin.
Bluedop allows clinicians to view images on a tablet in real-time, facilitating quicker referrals to other specialties for necessary treatments. This also ensures that only patients requiring specialist input are referred to other providers, enhancing efficiency and minimising unnecessary appointments.
The Tissue Viability Nursing team who care for approximately 4,700 patients annually, can now provide faster and more comfortable vascular assessments. With nearly half of these patients presenting with leg ulcers, Bluedop is expected to benefit over 2,200 individuals each year.
Daisy Culaj, tissue viability lead clinical nurse specialist, said: “Bluedop has significantly improved patient care. It's fast, pain-free, and allows us to assess more patients. We've already scanned over 100 patients and expect these figures to double during the winter.”
David Jenkins, director of Hillingdon Hospitals Charity, said:
'When the application for the Bluedop arrived in the Charity, I knew this was something that we would want to support. When I had a closer look it was clear this would really benefit our patients so I had no hesitation in agreeing the funding'.