A Canadian researcher has designed a special bra for women who have had heart surgery.

Dr. Kathryn King, a University of Calgary researcher developed the new compression bra as a result of complaints from women who experience numbness, tingling and shooting sensations in their breasts after heart surgery.

King’s design stops the weight of the breast from putting pressure on the surgical wound and also allows women to wear a bra immediately after the operation, instead of three or four days later.

The two-year study, funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research, is says King, the first which produces scientific data showing a supportive bra is safe and effective enough to be worn after heart surgery.

The study of 481 women in 10 cities across Canada showed that those who wore the bra had significantly less post-operative breast pain and discomfort compared to women in a control group.

The bra is soft and tight-fitting and closes at the front with a zipper; it has Velco straps which allows it to be adjusted to changing breast sizes, which sometimes occur after surgery, and has no metal clasps which can interfere with X-rays.

Dr. King says they will now look into the economic feasibility of the bras, which are not currently covered by health insurance and whether they reduce scarring.

The study was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver and is published in the American Heart Journal.