ECP treatment is a simple and comfortable procedure. The patient
relaxes on a comfortable padded mattress while a trained nurse or
therapist wraps the muscular areas of the patient's calves, thighs
and buttocks with pneumatic cuffs, similar to blood pressure cuffs.
Hoses connect the cuffs to an air pressure/vacuum pump enclosed
within the bed base.
The patient will feel the sensation of a strong "hug" moving upward from the calves to the thighs to the buttocks as the cuffs inflate and deflate. Each cycle is electronically synchronized with individual heartbeats. The patient can relax and talk to visitors, watch TV or a video, listen to music, or even take a nap during the hour-long procedure.
A typical course of treatment requires 35 one-hour sessions administered once daily, five days a week, for seven weeks. Many patients report feeling improvement after as few as 10 treatment sessions.
