I’m a solo therapist at a smaller city hospital. My patient population will often come from 1-2 hours away because I am sometimes the closest therapist that takes their insurance. I use many of the medi® products, not only are they quality products which make home independence more obtainable but the customer service through the company is stellar. Any issues and problem solving I have struggled with, the medi support team has been able to resolve.
I have one specific patient in 2022 that I believe fully highlights how medi products can help make massive differences to patient’s ability to treat his edema.
Patient begun seeing me around the same time he began working with a comprehensive bariatric surgery team to help lose weight as well as possibly undergo a bariatric sleeve procedure. We began using bilateral lower leg reduction kits immediately. The patient’s heavy weight for many years resulted in circumferential overhang of the ankle tissue where the tissue of both ankle’s hung to the ground. The patient had luckily avoided infection and wounds, but I was concerned it was only a matter of time until the case became more complicated. This overhanging region was hard and fibrotic, non-pitting, and greatly limited the ability to wear shoes and walk. Due to another medical condition, the patient could not reach the feet/ankles, however a family member was willing to help daily. This person was unable to wrap the leg with bandages due to back and hand pain.
My first, and I believe only choice, was a circaid® reduction kit™ with lobe support. The patient’s significant larger lower legs would not fit in many inelastic options, and medi is the only company that support such dynamic shapes to the compression item (in this case, we specifically used reduction lobe kits on both ankles). I would apply a full compression bandage in the clinic, and they would remove it the next day for the family to then place the reduction kits with lobe pieces. Within weeks, the patient lost a liter of fluid from both legs, was able to fully lift the overhanging ankle tissue off of the ground and reported better tolerance to walking. The patient was able to lose >130# with weight loss plan. The patient’s reduction in weight further reduced the legs as well as helped the tissue texture.
Cue the next benefit of reduction kits, I was able to trim the kits down to fit the new shape as weight loss continued. There were no delays by waiting for new products to be ordered, the family did not have to learn to use a new product and did not have to use anything other than a therapy visit to get new custom compression at each follow up.
The patient is still going through this journey. The patient did so well with weight loss that the physician team met to discuss if the bariatric surgery was even needed. While further addressing of weight is needed to fully control the lymphedema, home compression therapy has made it possible for the patient to get the maximum benefit with the items. I do not honestly know of another product that would have provided the patient at this level of use and benefit without a custom price. And I honestly do not know of another product that would have been able to remain just as effective as the first day after 130# weight loss for a leg of this shape.
