ABSTRACT
This prospective, randomized study compared postoperative pain control with use of
a continuous temperature-controlled cryotherapy system versus a traditional ice therapy
regimen following outpatient knee arthroscopy. Patients with unilateral knee pathology
scheduled for outpatient arthroscopic surgery were included. Patients with major ligament
reconstructions were excluded. A specific cold therapy regimen was begun postoperatively
and continued for 2 weeks as adjunctive management of postoperative pain. Preoperative
and postoperative pain intensity, pain type, functionality, and sleep quality were
assessed. Patients were randomly assigned to either an ice or a continuous cryotherapy
group. Follow-up questionnaires were completed on 5 postoperative days. Data were
analyzed using a chi-square test with a level of significance at P < 0.05. Fifty-three patients completed the study. Pain intensity was similar between
groups throughout the course of the study. Among patients who reported experiencing
night pain, 36% of those in the continuous cryotherapy group were able to sleep soundly
with minimal awakening through postoperative day 2 versus 5.9% among the ice therapy
group (P = 0.04). No significant differences existed between groups regarding functional ability,
and no differences were noted on other follow-up days. These findings support use
of continuous temperature-controlled cold therapy devices for nighttime pain control
and improved quality of life in the early period following routine knee arthroscopy.
