BSN Jobst Comprilan Short Stretch Compression Bandage

SKUs: 77187 (1.6"×5.5yd) | 1027000 (3.1"×5.5yd) | 77188 (3.8"×10.9yd) | 1029000 (4.7"×5.5yd) | 77189 (4.7"×10.9yd)

Short Stretch  |  High Working Pressure / Low Resting Pressure  |  100% Cotton  |  Interlocking Weave  |  Venous Leg Ulcers & Lymphedema  |  Washable & Reusable  |  FSA Eligible

A short stretch compression bandage designed for the management of venous leg ulcers, lymphedema, and edema. Comprilan provides high resistance to stretch — creating high working pressure during calf muscle activity and low resting pressure when the patient is at rest. This working-pressure mechanism amplifies the calf muscle pump, the primary driver of venous and lymphatic return. The interlocking cotton weave ensures consistent compression throughout wear. Cool, breathable open-weave construction. Washable and reusable. Clinician-applied. FSA eligible.

Order by Part Number

Width and application are prescribed by your wound care clinician or lymphedema therapist. Questions? 1-866-218-0902

Key Features

• Short stretch construction — interlocking weave resists elongation, providing high resistance to stretch for a high working pressure and low resting pressure profile
• High working pressure — during walking and calf muscle contraction, the rigid bandage provides a firm working surface; the muscle expands against it, generating high intermittent pressure pulses that drive venous and lymphatic return
• Low resting pressure — when the patient is at rest, the inelastic bandage does not sustain high pressure, making it appropriate for patients with mixed arterial-venous conditions where high resting pressure would be contraindicated
• Amplifies the calf muscle pump — the single most important mechanism for venous and lymphatic fluid return in the lower leg
• 100% cotton construction — cool, breathable, comfortable for extended wear
• Open weave fabric — allows air circulation to the skin and wound site
• Anatomically conforming — adapts to limb contours while maintaining compression
• Washable and reusable — machine or hand washable; retains compression properties through repeated laundering
• Indicated for venous leg ulcers, lymphedema, and edema
• Clinician-applied
• FSA eligible

Clinical FAQs

What is a short stretch bandage and how is it clinically different from a long stretch (elastic) bandage?

The fundamental difference between short stretch and long stretch compression bandages lies in how they generate pressure. A long stretch (elastic) bandage — such as a standard ACE-style crepe bandage — has high elasticity: it stretches significantly and its recoil creates sustained compression pressure whether the patient is moving or at rest. This is called high resting pressure. A short stretch bandage, by contrast, has very limited elasticity — the interlocking weave resists elongation. When the patient is at rest with no muscle activity, the rigid bandage does not generate high sustained compression. But when the patient walks, the calf muscle contracts and expands against the inelastic bandage wall, generating high pressure pulses with each step. This is called high working pressure. Short stretch bandages are specifically designed to amplify the calf muscle pump — the physiological mechanism by which lower leg venous and lymphatic fluid is returned toward the heart. For ambulatory patients with lymphedema or venous disease, short stretch bandages are often preferred precisely because their working pressure is activity-dependent: the more the patient walks, the more lymphatic and venous drainage the bandage facilitates.

Why is Comprilan particularly indicated for lymphedema management?

Lymphedema is the accumulation of protein-rich lymphatic fluid in the tissues due to impaired lymphatic drainage — most commonly following lymph node removal in cancer treatment, particularly breast cancer, or due to other causes of lymphatic system obstruction or insufficiency. The cornerstone of lymphedema management is Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), which combines manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandaging, exercise, and skin care. The compression bandaging phase uses short stretch bandages specifically because the low resting pressure does not impede lymphatic circulation when the patient is at rest — high sustained resting pressure from long stretch bandages can actually obstruct superficial lymphatic channels. The high working pressure during movement, by contrast, drives fluid from the congested tissue space back into the lymphatic and venous return pathways. The Comprilan interlocking weave provides the controlled inelastic resistance that creates this working-pressure environment. Lymphedema bandaging is a specialist technique requiring training from a certified lymphedema therapist; Comprilan should be used under such clinical guidance.

How does Comprilan compare to the PROFORE LF multi-layer system also in the MDS catalog?

Both are compression systems for lower limb venous conditions, but they serve different phases of treatment and work through different mechanisms. PROFORE LF is a multi-layer system that achieves sustained 40 mmHg compression through graduated layers of elastic and cohesive bandaging — it provides consistent high compression for up to 7 days and is primarily used for active venous leg ulcer treatment. Comprilan is a single short stretch bandage providing high working pressure during activity and low resting pressure at rest — it is used in lymphedema management, edema reduction phases of venous treatment, and in mixed arterial-venous disease where high resting pressure from a long stretch or multi-layer system would be contraindicated. A clinician treating a venous ulcer might use PROFORE LF during active wound healing, then transition to short stretch bandaging or compression hosiery for maintenance. The two products are complementary rather than interchangeable.

Can Comprilan be applied at home or does it require a clinician?

Comprilan is a clinician-applied bandage. Correct short stretch bandaging technique is significantly more complex than applying a simple elastic wrap — it requires knowledge of the correct overlap, the appropriate tension throughout the limb from ankle to knee, padding application over bony prominences, and the graduated pressure gradient needed for effective treatment. Incorrect application — too tight, too loose, uneven overlap, or wrong positioning — can cause pressure injuries, inadequate treatment effect, or impede arterial circulation in patients with arterial disease. Lymphedema patients receiving CDT have their bandages applied and monitored by certified lymphedema therapists. Patients wishing to develop self-bandaging skills should receive formal training from their treating therapist before applying Comprilan independently at home.

Questions about short stretch bandaging, lymphedema management, or compression therapy selection? Call our product specialists: 1-866-218-0902