User:Hedelman1/VitalWear

VitalWear VitalWear Inc. is a company headquartered in South San Francisco, California. Led by Howard Edelman, the company is known for its heating, cooling and compression therapy products: the VitalWrap System, the RecoveryWrap System, the VitalWrap Professional System and the VitalWrap Professional Compression System. All of these products supply controlled thermal and compression therapy to manage acute and chronic pain conditions.

VitalWrap System
The VitalWear products consist of 3 components: a control unit, tubing set and a fabric wrap. The products provide therapy via an array of form-fitting fabric wraps attached to specific treatment locations on the body. The control units manage the fluid temperature of water pumped through a heat exchanging bladder sewn into the wrap. This wrap is applied around an injured area and secured with a hook and loop type closure. The systems are designed to control the thermal therapy within 40 ºF to 106ºF in order to avoid cold or heat burns. As a result, the application of the thermal therapy is applied for extended periods beyond other treatment modalities such as ice packs or heating pads.

Conditions for Treatment
VitalWear completed and published a clinical arthritis study in 2010. The purposes of the investigation were to assess preferences for, and effects of superficial heat, cold or contrast therapy applied with a water recirculating system for patients with level II or greater osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee as compared to heating pad and ice pack applications. The study concluded patients preferred treatment with water recirculating devices over the use of an electric heating pad.

Reimbursement
Until April 1, 2011, Medicare reimbursed for water recirculating pumps under the HCPCS code E0217. The reimbursement was removed by Medicare following the conversion of draft LCD (local coverage determination) for Heating Pads and Heat Lamps (DL28614).