The
team of researchers was headed by Professor Neil
Piller, a specialist in the treatment of edemas,
medical conditions that result in swelling of the
legs through fluid retention.
Loss
of fluid and a reduction in the pain and swelling
were among the results observed and evaluated over
21 days use of the machine by edema sufferers. The
research work was a feature of a ABC television
program.
A
recent function marked the conclusion of the
project, and final results of the trial were
presented by Flinders Consulting Chairman Ms Louise
Hicks to Mr Jerry Tsai, President of Hsin Ten.
In
recognition of the researchers' efforts, Mr Tsai
donated 20 of the company's Aerobic Exerciser
machines to the Lymphoedema Assessment Clinic for
further research and for selected use by suffers of
edemas. Hsin Ten representatives from both Taiwan
and Sydney attended the function, and further
collaborations with Flinders were discussed.
Dr.
Wayne Harvey, Managing Director of Flinders
Consulting, said it was gratifying to see the
increase in use and recognition of expertise offered
by university researchers. "The skills of university
staff are increasingly being applied to commercial
opportunities with community benefits," Dr Harvey
said. - Flinders University,
www.flinders.edu.au
Flinders Booklets.
Flinders
University independently produced 3 medical booklets
detailing the research finding:
1) Secondary Lymphedema.
2) Venous Edema.
3) Patient follow-up.
The booklets contain a condensed
report of the findings of the large scale clinical
trial contracted out to Professor Piller on behalf
of Hsin Ten by Flinders Consulting, as well as
providing instructions for the reader on how to take
optimum care of their legs, with additional guidance
regarding the types of treatments that may be
available to them.
Flinders University also produced
an interactive DVD for educating professionals and
patients about the lymphatic system and the clinical
trial results. It features the Sun Ancon Chi Machine
as an option of treatment.
"The Vital Essence: Understanding
the lymphatic system in health and disease" DVD, is
only available from Flinders University.
Significance
of Clinical Trial:
1) "Between 2000 and 2002 a large scale
Clinical Trial was conducted at Flinders Medical
Center on two groups of patients, one group with
chronic leg Secondary Lymphedema and one group with
chronic leg Venous Edema."
2)
"It is obvious that the Sun Ancon Aerobic exerciser
has a very significant impact on chronic limb
swelling associated with failure of the lymphatic
systems and compromised vascular systems combined
with an overloaded lymphatic system even when used
in the patient's home for 3 weeks.
Given
that some of the patients have had their problems
for up to 30 years and that they were generally (to
the time of the trial) receiving the best current
treatments without great impact, these trial
findings offer considerable hope for this group of
patients."
3)
"It would seem that continued use might be able to
achieve better results, as is evidenced by the
one-month follow-up findings. However perhaps more
important is that this form of home based treatment
was commented on by the participants as giving them
confidence and self determination in managing their
problem (which previously they seemed not to have).
It would also seem that this treatment is a
cost-effective means of managing these problems,
reducing the need to see physiotherapists or otherwise
use the health care system for their conditions."
4) "The trial results have been presented at
the International Congress of lymphology meeting in
Genoa in 2001 and are about to be published in the
medical literature now the study is complete."
Flinders University
References:
New deal sees Flinders team conduct
trials for Taiwanese company, Hsin Ten (HTE).
http://www.flinders.edu.au/news/articles/?oc12v09s01
Projects
and clients.
www.flinders.edu.au/ResCons/consult/projects.htm
Equipment
trials come up trumps.
www.flinders.edu.au/news/articles/?oc04v11s04
Flinders
University Clinical Trial Results
The Sun Ancon Chi Machine clinical trials and the
results.
Lympedema
and Venous Edema
Clinical Trials and Personal Experiences.
Chi Machine Clinical
Trials,
published articles:
Flinders
University published their clinical trial results in
two medical journals.
1) Australian and New Zealand,
'Phlebology', November 2003
2) 'Lymphology', December 2002,
and 'Lymphology', June 2004
1) The Impact of the Sun Ancon
Chi Machine Aerobic Exercise on Chronic Edema of
the Legs.
-
Moseley, A.L., Piller, N.B., Esterman, A.J. and
Carati, C.J. (November 2003). The impact of the
sun Ancon aerobic exerciser on chronic oedema of
the legs. Australian and New Zealand Journal of
Phlebology, 7(2) pp. 5-10.
2) The Sun Ancon Chi
Machine Aerobic Exerciser: a new patient focused,
home-based therapy for people with chronic
secondary leg lymphedema.
"A
significant proportion of those who survive lower
torso cancer treatments will go on to develop
clinically discernible bilateral or unilateral leg
lymphedema. Although beneficial treatments exist for
this condition, many are expensive and involve
visits to outpatient clinics or allied health
professionals - making the patient dependent upon
others for treatment and maintenance.
This
clinical trial tested the efficacy of the Sun Ancon
Chi Machine Aerobic Exerciser, a home based therapy
that delivered both elevation and passive exercise
to the legs. This machine was used in the
participant's home according to a set regime with
measurements being taken immediately before trial
commencement, at weekly intervals and then 1 month
after treatment cessation.
After
a three week treatment period there were
statistically significant reductions in total leg
volume and fluids, whole body extracellular fluid,
weight and subjective leg symptoms.
Lymphscintigraphy in a sub-group of patients
suggested an increase in lymphatic transport in some
individuals.
Although
some of the fluid and symptoms had returned at the 1
month follow up, none of the parameters had returned
to pre-treatment levels.
This
finding indicates that this equipment may have
ongoing beneficial effects. This clinical trial
demonstrates that the Sun Ancon Chi Machine Aerobic
Exerciser is an effective adjunct therapy that can
be used in the patient's own home."
-
Department of Surgery and Lymphoedema Assessment
Clinic, School of Medicine, Bedford Park, South
Australia, Australia. Lymphology. Issue 37, June
2004, p.43-4 - Moseley AL, Piller N, Esterman A,
Carati C.
SDM-888
Original
Sun Ancon Chi Machine
Proven to reduce leg
lymphoedema.
2b) Combined
opto-electronic perometry and bioimpedance to
measure objectively the effectiveness of a new
treatment intervention for chronic secondary leg
lymphedema.
"Secondary
lymphedema of the legs is a common sequela of
patients treated for cancer of the reproductive,
gastrointestinal, urinary systems and melanoma. From
a clinical and research perspective it is of utmost
importance to use techniques that objectively
quantify leg volume and fluid composition as an
indicator of lymphedema severity and response to
treatment.
Two
techniques often used in both the clinical and
research setting are leg perometry and
multi-frequency bioimpedance. Although both
techniques have been extensively validated, this
trial aimed to cross correlate both measurement
techniques to ascertain whether each or both could
be used reliably for measurement of leg lymphedema.
These
measurements were utilized throughout a clinical
trial that assessed the effectiveness of a new home
based treatment program in the form of the Sun Ancon
Aerobic Exerciser. This machine delivered both
elevation and passive exercise to the legs, with
participants using the machine over a three week
period during which time their leg volumes were
measured using both perometry and bioimpedance.
The
results demonstrated that leg volume measurements
decreased using both perometry and bioimpedance. The
reduction in body extracellular fluid as measured by
bioimpedance correlated well with a reduction in leg
volume as measured by perometry. Bioimpedance also
recorded a reduction in weight, which was correlated
with the reduction in leg volume as measured by
perometry.
This
trial confirms that perometry and bioimpedance were
both effective in independently showing a reduction
in leg lymphedema using the Aerobic Exerciser
therapy, and that both methods can be reliably used
to measure and follow leg lymphedema."
- Lymphedema Assessment Clinic,
Flinders Surgical Oncology Unit, Department of
Public Health School of Medicine, Flinders
Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South
Australia. Lymphology. Issue 35, December 2002,
p.136-43 - Moseley A, Piller N, Carati C.
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