Portable devices against inflammation.

For cancer survivors living with lymphedema.

One of the most difficult effects of cancer treatment does not end when the disease ends, it continues afterwards in the body, the accumulation of fluid caused by damage or removal of lymph nodes can cause constant pain, pain and even limit simple movements of daily life and today to treat that, many patients still depend on large, expensive and impractical equipment.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are trying to completely change this scenario. They developed a portable compression sleeve connected to a device the size of a smartphone, capable of replacing those bulky machines used in anti-gain therapy.

The proposal is to allow the treatment to occur while the person lives normally without the need to remain immobile connected to a device. Inflatable chambers within the sleeve expand and contract in a controlled manner. By applying pressure to the affected region, everything was miniaturized, pump, valves and a microfluidics-based system that controls the movement of fluids in microscopic channels integrated into a single compact device.

This allows you to precisely control the pressure and air flow, maintaining the effectiveness of the treatment in a much smaller format. The device runs on a battery and can be used for up to 8 hours straight. The first patient trials are already underway and researchers are using that feedback to adjust comfort, fit and usability.

The goal now is to transform this prototype into a real product available to those who need it, in the end, all this seems to be part of the same path.