Cold Therapy for Pain Control in Pediatric Appendectomy Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: Topical ice has been shown to reduce pain scores and opioid use in adults with midline abdominal incisions. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a cold therapy system in children following laparoscopic appendectomy. METHODS: Patients 7 years and older who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at our institution from December 2021-September 2022 were eligible. Patients were randomized to standard pain therapy (control) or standard plus cold therapy (treatment) utilizing a modified ice machine system with cool abdominal pad postoperatively. Pain scores on the first 3 postoperative days (PODs), postoperative narcotic consumption, and patient satisfaction were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were randomized, 29 to each group. Average survey response rate was 74% in control and 89% in treatment patients. There was no significant difference in median pain scores or narcotic use between groups. Cold therapy contributed to subjective pain improvement in 71%, 74%, and 50% of respondents on PODs 1, 2, and 3 respectively. CONCLUSION: A majority of patients reported cold therapy to be a helpful adjunct in pain control after appendectomy, though it did not reduce postoperative pain scores or narcotic use in our cohort - likely due to this population's naturally expedient recovery and low baseline narcotic requirement. TYPE OF STUDY: Randomized Controlled Trial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Whole-Body Cryostimulation in Multiple Sclerosis: A Scoping Review.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of non-traumatic long-term disability in young adults. Whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) is a cold-based physical therapy known to induce physiological exercise-mimicking changes in the cardiovascular, neuromuscular, immune, and endocrine systems and to influence functional and psychological parameters by exposing the human body to cryogenic temperatures (≤-110 °C) for 2-3 min. The purpose of this scoping review is to present an overall view on the potential role of WBC as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of MS. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to 30 November 2023, and a total of 13 articles were included. WBC may have beneficial antioxidant effects as a short-term adjuvant treatment in MS. There were no significant changes in antioxidant enzymes, nitric oxide levels, metalloproteinase levels, blood counts, rheology, and biochemistry. WBC can lead to a reduction in fatigue and an improvement in functional status, with a significant effect on both mental and physical well-being. There were no reported adverse effects. The results suggest that WBC may complement therapeutic options for patients with MS, as the effects of cryogenic cold stimulation have been shown to activate antioxidant processes and improve functional status, mood, anxiety, and fatigue.

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) based smart nanofibrous scaffolds for use as on-demand delivery systems for oral and dental tissue regeneration.

Stimuli-responsive domains capable of releasing loaded molecules, "on-demand," have garnered increasing attention due to their enhanced delivery, precision targeting, and decreased adverse effects. The development of an on-demand delivery system that can be easily triggered by dental clinicians might have major roles in dental and oral tissue engineering. A series of random graft poly(NIPAm-co-HEMA-Lactate) copolymers were synthesized using 95:5, 85:5, 60:40, and 40:60 ratios of thermosensitive NIPAm and HEMA-poly lactate respectively then electrospun to produce nanofibrous scaffolds loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Cumulative BSA release was assessed at 25C and 37°C. To appraise the use of scaffolds as on-demand delivery systems, they were subjected to thermal changes in the form cooling and warming cycles during which BSA release was monitored. To confirm the triggered releasing ability of the synthesized scaffolds, the copolymer made with 60% NIPAm was selected, based on the results of the release tests, and loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). The loaded scaffolds were placed with mesenchymal-like stem cells (iMSCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and subjected to temperature alterations. Then, the osteogenic differentiation of iMSCs, which might have resulted from the released protein, was evaluated after 10 days by analyzing runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2) osteogenic gene expression by the cells using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). BSA release profiles showed a burst release at the beginning followed by a more linear pattern at 25°C, and a much slower release at 37°C. The release also decreased when the PNIPAm content decreased in the scaffolds. Thermal triggering led to a step-like release pattern in which the highest release was reported 30 min through the warming cycles. The iMSCs cultivated with scaffolds loaded with BMP-2 and exposed to temperature alteration showed significantly higher RUNX-2 gene expression than cells in the other experimental groups. The synthesized scaffolds are thermo-responsive and could be triggered to deliver biological biomolecules to be used in oral and dental tissue engineering. Thermal stimuli could be simulated by dental clinicians using simple means of cold therapy, for example, cold packs in intraoral accessible sites for specified times.

Effectiveness of Cold Therapy for Pain and Anxiety Associated with Chest Tube Removal: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of cold therapy for pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal. DESIGN: A Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: Articles were searched from Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest, Airiti Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan. REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched from inception to August 20, 2022. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Using a random-effects model, we calculated Hedges' g and its associated confidence interval to evaluate the effects of cold therapy. Cochrane's Q test and an I2 test were used to detect heterogeneity, and moderator and meta-regression analyses were conducted to explore possible sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot, Egger's test, and trim-and-fill analysis. RESULTS: We examined 24 trials involving 1,821 patients. Cold therapy significantly reduced pain during and after chest tube removal as well as anxiety after chest tube removal (Hedges' g: -1.28, -1.27, and -1.80, respectively). Additionally, the effect size of cold therapy for reducing anxiety after chest tube removal was significantly and positively associated with that of cold therapy for reducing pain after chest tube removal. CONCLUSIONS: Cold therapy can reduce pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal.

Effect of cold water immersion dose on the recovery of skeletal muscle fatigue induced by exercise:a systematic review and Meta-analysis / 中国组织工程研究

OBJECTIVE:Cold water immersion methods are not standardized in terms of operational indicators such as immersion temperature,duration and depth,leading to controversy over the efficacy of recovery from exercise fatigue in skeletal muscle.In this article,we analyze the effects of cold water immersion on muscle injury,muscle soreness and muscle strength recovery under different factors,in order to find the best immersion implementation plan,and thus provide evidence for the recovery of muscle fatigue. METHODS:A search of CNKI,WanFang Data,Web of Science,and PubMed databases was conducted for relevant literature published from January 1,2000 to August 15,2023.A total of 4 759 articles were initially retrieved,with 4 735 articles excluded through screening and 24 articles finally included.The Physical Therapy Evidence Database Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included literature,and Stata-MP 16 software was used to perform effect size combinations,subgroup analyses,Meta-regression,sensitivity tests,and publication bias analyses. RESULTS:(1)The article included a total of 24 randomized controlled trial studies,including 617 subjects,with overall high legal quality.(2)Meta-analysis showed that cold water immersion can significantly reduce creatine kinase blood value[standardized mean difference(SMD)=-0.17,95％confidence interval(CI):-0.29 to-0.05,P<0.01],alleviate muscle pain(SMD=-0.60,95％CI:-0.81 to-0.38,P<0.01),and promote maximum muscle strength recovery(SMD=0.17,95％CI:0.05 to 0.30,P<0.01).(3)Subgroup analysis showed that:The immersing regimen with water temperature>14 ℃(SMD=-0.48,95％CI:-0.76 to-0.20,P<0.01)and duration of 12-14 minutes(SMD=-0.38,95％CI:-0.61 to-0.15,P<0.01)had the best effect in reducing creatine kinase blood values,and had a more significant intervention effect on endurance exercise(SMD=-0.45,95％CI:-0.71 to-0.20,P<0.01),while the immersion regimen with water temperature<10 ℃(SMD=-0.61,95％CI:-0.79 to-0.43,P<0.01),duration<12 minutes(SMD=-0.76,95％CI:-0.98 to-0.53,P<0.01),and immersion depth above the iliac spine(SMD=-0.74,95％CI:-0.97 to-0.52,P<0.01)had the best effect on relieving muscle soreness,and had a more significant analgesic effect after endurance exercise(SMD=-0.42,95％CI:-0.61 to-0.22,P<0.01).(4)Meta regression showed that immersion water temperature,immersion duration,and exercise type were important regulatory factors affecting the effect size of creatine kinase;immersing water temperature and immersing depth were important regulatory factors affecting the effect size of visual analogue scale score,while exercise type was an important regulatory factor affecting the maximum isometric muscle strength effect size. CONCLUSION:(1)Evidence of extremely low to moderate strength suggests that cold water immersion can effectively reduce muscle damage,alleviate muscle soreness,and promote muscle strength recovery.(2)In terms of reducing muscle injury,immersion water temperature,immersion duration,and exercise type are significant regulatory factors that affect the efficacy of immersing.Among them,immersion water temperature>14 ℃ and duration of 12-14 minutes are the best solutions to reduce muscle injury after exercise,and the immersing effect is better for endurance exercise.(3)In terms of reducing muscle soreness,immersion water temperature and immersion depth are important regulatory factors that affect the intervention effect.Among them,immersion water temperature<10 ℃,duration<12 minutes,and immersing depth above the iliac spine are the best solutions to reduce muscle soreness,and have a better analgesic effect after endurance exercise.(4)In terms of promoting muscle strength recovery,exercise type is a key regulatory factor that affects the maximum isometric muscle strength effect.

Cryotherapy in Postoperative Shoulder Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Cryotherapy, a therapeutic technique involving localized cooling of the body, has gained popularity for postsurgical rehabilitation. It induces a reduction in cellular metabolism, vasoconstriction, and pain relief, making it an attractive option for managing postoperative (PO) shoulder pain. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness of cryotherapy in PO shoulder patients, focusing on pain, range of motion, functionality, and temperature changes. The review included six randomized clinical trials, involving a total of 233 patients who underwent various shoulder surgeries. Cryotherapy was applied using different methods, including Cryo/Cuff, Cryoton®, Polar Care 300, and ice packs. Results indicated that cryotherapy was generally effective in reducing PO shoulder pain. However, one study found no significant difference in pain outcomes between the cryotherapy group and control group. Furthermore, three studies demonstrated a decrease in intra-articular and skin temperatures with cryotherapy application. A risk of bias analysis revealed some concerns in the overall risk of bias for five studies, with one study considered to have a high risk of bias. Although publication bias assessment was not conducted due to the limited number of included studies, it was noted that the studies exhibited heterogeneity in terms of population, intervention methods, and outcome measures. In conclusion, cryotherapy appears to be a promising adjunctive treatment for PO shoulder pain, although the existing evidence has some limitations, including small sample sizes and methodological concerns. More high-quality studies are needed to establish the full extent of cryotherapy's effectiveness in PO shoulder rehabilitation, especially regarding its impact on functionality and range of motion.

The effectiveness and safety of heat/cold therapy in adults with lymphoedema: systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to assess the efficacy and safety of using heat and cold therapy for adults with lymphoedema. METHODS: A multi-database search was undertaken. Only studies which included adults with lymphoedema who were treated with heat or cold therapy reporting any outcome were included. Screening, data extraction, and assessment of bias were undertaken by a single reviewer and verified by a second. Due to the substantial heterogeneity, a descriptive synthesis was undertaken. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included. All nine studies which assessed the effects of heat-therapy on changes in limb circumference reported a point estimate indicating some reduction from baseline to end of study. Similarly, the five studies evaluating the use of heat-therapy on limb volume demonstrated a reduction in limb volume from baseline to end-of-study. Only four studies reported adverse events of which all were deemed to be minor. Only two studies explored the effects of cold therapy on lymphoedema. CONCLUSIONS: Tentative evidence suggests heat-therapy may have some benefit in treating lymphoedema with minimal side effects. However, further high-quality randomised controlled trials are required, with a particular focus on moderating factors and assessment of adverse events.Implications for rehabilitationThis review highlights the potential benefit that heat therapy may have on reducing limb circumference and volume for adults with lymphoedema.There was no evidence that controlled localised heat therapy was unsafe.The current evidence-base is at a point where no specific clinical recommendations can be made.The use of heat therapy should only be applied as part of a methodologically robust study to treat lymphoedema.

Assessment of the Efficacy of Cryolipolysis on Abdominal Fat Deposits: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive and efficacious procedure for body contouring. The effectiveness of cryolipolysis has been demonstrated on multiple areas of the body, but on a limited number of subjects. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness and the safety of cryolipolysis in the lower abdomen adipose tissue thickness reduction. METHODS: A prospective study on 60 healthy women was carried out using CryoSlim Hybrid device. Each patient underwent two cryolipolysis sessions centered on the abdominal area. The primary endpoint was to decrease the thickness of the abdominal fat deposits. The change in the abdominal circumference and the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer were assessed. Patient satisfaction and tolerance of the procedure were also taken into account. RESULTS: A significant reduction of the abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat layer thickness was observed. The mean decrease in abdominal circumference was 2.10 cm (3.1%) 3 months after the procedure and 4.03 cm (5.8%) 6 months after the procedure. The mean decrease in fat layer thickness was 1.25 cm (43.81%) 3 months after the procedure and 1.61 cm (41.73%) 6 months after the procedure. No major adverse events were noted. All patients were very satisfied, and minimal pain was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Cryolipolysis is an effective technique to treat abdominal localized fat deposits. No major adverse events have been described for this procedure. Our promising results should encourage further studies aimed at optimizing the efficacy of the procedure without a considerable increase in the risks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266 .

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy and static stretching are maintained 4 weeks after treatment in most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

In the previous study, whole-body cryotherapy (WBC)+static stretching (SS) has been shown to reduce the severity of some symptoms in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) noted just after the therapy. Here we consider the effects of treatment and explore the sustainability of symptom improvements at four weeks (one-month) follow-up. Twenty-two CFS patients were assessed one month after WBC + SS programme. Parameters related to fatigue (Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), cognitive function (Trial Making test part A and B (TMT A and TMT B and its difference (TMT B-A)), Coding) hemodynamic, aortic stiffness (aortic systolic blood pressure (sBP aortic)) and autonomic nervous system functioning were measured. TMT A, TMT B, TMT B-A and Coding improved at one month after the WBC + SS programme. WBC + SS had a significant effect on the increase in sympathetic nervous system activity in rest. WBC + SS had a significant, positive chronotropic effect on the cardiac muscle. Peripheral and aortic systolic blood pressure decreased one month after WBC + SS in comparison to before. Effects of WBC + SS on reduction of fatigue, indicators of aortic stiffness and symptoms severity related to autonomic nervous system disturbance and improvement in cognitive function were maintained at one month. However, improvement in all three fatigue scales (CFQ, FIS and FSS) was noted in 17 of 22 patients. In addition, ten patients were treated initially but they were not assessed at 4 weeks, and are thus not included in the 22 patients who were examined on follow-up. The overall effects of WBC + SS noted at one month post-treatment should be interpreted with caution.

Comparative Effectiveness of Gua Sha, Cryostretch, and Positional Release Technique on Tenderness and Function in Subjects with Plantar Fasciitis: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Plantar fasciitis (PF) can be treated effectively with manual techniques like cryostretch (CS) and the positional release technique (PRT). Although Gua Sha (GS) has been suggested in the literature for PF, its efficacy has not been studied in the research. Objective: To determine and compare the effectiveness of GS, CS, and PRT in subjects with PF in terms of pain intensity, pain pressure threshold, and foot function. Methods/Design: Thirty-six patients with PF (n=36) were randomly allocated to three study groups (12 in each group)-group GS, group CS, and group PRT, respectively. Settings: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at physiotherapy OPD in a tertiary health center. Participants: Subjects of all genders with plantar fasciitis of the age group 20-60 years. Thirty-six subjects with plantar fasciitis out of whom 12 were males and 24 females. There were no dropouts in this study. Intervention: The interventions included the Gua Sha technique (1 session), the cryostretch technique with a frozen tennis ball (3 sessions), and the positional release technique (7 sessions), along with common exercises for all three groups. Outcome Measures: Pain intensity, foot functions, and pain pressure threshold were assessed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Foot Function Index, and pressure algometer, respectively, on day 1 (pre-intervention) and day 7 (post-intervention). Results: Between-group analyses showed that group GS was more effective than CS and PRT for pain (p=.0001), group CS was more effective than GS and PRT for foot function (p=.0001) whereas group PRT was more effective than GS and CS for pain pressure threshold (p=.0001). Conclusion: Although all three groups showed improvement, Gua Sha was superior in terms of reducing pain, cryostretch for improving foot functions, and PRT for reducing tenderness. The interventions used in this study are cost-effective and have proved to be simple and safe techniques.

Cryotherapy in Knee Arthroplasty: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Total knee arthroplasty is performed to relieve knee pain and disability related to end-stage osteoarthritis. Cryotherapy is used as an analgesic method, reducing the intraarticular temperature. The objective of this study was to review the literature on the efficacy of cryotherapy in knee arthroplasty. A total of 700 articles were found in databases according to the search criteria for each database and the included descriptors (EndNote Web). After exclusion of duplicate articles, automatically and manually, Phase 1 was performed-reading of titles and abstracts of 375 articles according to the eligibility criteria by two blinded reviewers using the Rayyan QCRI (Qatar Computing Research Institute) program, conflicts were resolved in consensus between the 2 reviewers. Thus, 21 articles were selected for Phase 2-reading in full, leaving 5 articles for this review. The Cochrane instrument Rob 2 was used to assess the quality of bias of the selected studies, and RevMan 5.4.1 was used for meta-analysis. The age of study participants ranged from 51 to 74 years. The sample size ranged from 37 to 389 subjects, with a total of 648 subjects. The risk of bias was almost entirely high and moderate for all endpoints: pain, range of motion (ROM), and function. There was a decrease in pain level and as secondary endpoints ROM and functionality, there were divergences between studies. It can be concluded that although cryotherapy is indicated to reduce pain in the postoperative period of knee arthroplasty, studies have many methodological biases and the meta-analysis performed could not confirm the effects; therefore, more primary studies are needed to better understand the effects.

The low-temperature effect on sports regeneration / O efeito da baixa temperatura na regeneração esportiva

Abstract Introduction Intense physical activity and increased exercise significantly reduce the body's adaptive capacity, negatively affect the recovery processes of athletes, and can significantly impair athletic performance. Objective To identify how low temperatures can affect the regenerative processes in athletes, assess the effectiveness and feasibility of cold therapy in sports, and identify the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of the stated recovery method. Methods A systematic review of studies related to the use of cold therapy in sports guided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and reported through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The scientific material was selected by finding keywords and phrases, including "the effect of cold on athletes", "athletes' recovery", "cold therapy", etc. Following the selection criteria, only 30 studies were included. Results Cold exposure has significant benefits for sports regeneration, including pain relief (100%), inflammation reduction (93%), and restoration of sprint capabilities (89%). However, its impact on muscle strength (33%), endurance (11%), and lactate reduction (8%) is more limited. It moderately improves the psycho-emotional state (65-75%). Conclusion The use of low temperatures in sports has a beneficial effect on the recovery of sports performance for at least 24 hours after intense physical activity (training).

Resumo Introdução A atividade física intensa e o aumento do exer-cício reduzem significativamente a capacidade de adaptação do organismo, afetam negativamente os processos de recu-peração dos atletas e podem prejudicar significativamente o desempenho atlético. Objetivo Identificar como as baixas temperaturas podem afetar os processos regenerativos dos atletas, avaliar a eficácia e a viabilidade da terapia pelo frio no esorte e identificar os parâmetros-chave que determinam a eficácia do método de recuperação indicado. Métodos Revisão sistemática de estudos relacionados com a utilização da terapia pelo frio no esporte, orientada pelo Manual Cochrane para Revisões Sistemáticas de Intervenções e reportada através dos Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. O material científico foi selecionado através da pesquisa de palavras-chave e frases, incluindo "o efeito do frio nos atletas", "recuperação dos atletas", "terapia pelo frio", etc. Seguindo os critérios de seleção, foram incluídos apenas 30 estudos. Resultados A exposição ao frio tem benefícios significativos para a regeneração esportiva, incluindo o alívio da dor (100%), redução da inflamação (93%) e restauração das capacidades de sprint (89%). No entanto, o seu impacto na força muscular (33%), na resistência (11%) e na redução do lactato (8%) é mais limitado. Há uma melhora moderada sobre o estado psico-emocional (65-75%). Conclusão A utilização de baixas temperaturas no esporte tem um efeito benéfico na recuperação do desempenho esportivo durante pelo menos 24 horas após uma atividade física intensa (treino).

Combination of whole body cryotherapy with static stretching exercises reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the autonomic nervous system in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the tolerability and effect of static stretching (SS) and whole body cryotherapy (WBC) upon fatigue, daytime sleepiness, cognitive functioning and objective and subjective autonomic nervous system functioning in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) compared to a control population. METHODS: Thirty-two CFS and eighteen healthy controls (HC) participated in 2 weeks of a SS + WBC programme. This programme was composed of five sessions per week, 10 sessions in total. RESULTS: A significant decrease in fatigue was noted in the CFS group in response to SS + WBC. Some domains of cognitive functioning (speed of processing visual information and set-shifting) also improved in response to SS + WBC in both CFS and HC groups. Our study has confirmed that WBC is well tolerated by those with CFS and leads to symptomatic improvements associated with changes in cardiovascular and autonomic function. CONCLUSIONS: Given the preliminary data showing the beneficial effect of cryotherapy, its relative ease of application, good tolerability, and proven safety, therapy with cold exposure appears to be an approach worth attention. Further studies of cryotherapy as a potential treatment in CFS is important in the light of the lack of effective therapeutic options for these common and often disabling symptoms.

The effect of cold therapy combined with ERAS in the postoperative care of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nursing effect of cold therapy combined with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Eighty patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKA in our hospital from August 2020 to January 2021 were enrolled in this study, and they were divided into a control group (n=40) and a study group (n=40) according to the nursing procedures. The time and cost of rehabilitation, pain level, recovery of knee function, incidence of postoperative complications, self-care ability, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The time of rehabilitation and time to out-of-bed activities in the study group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and the cost of rehabilitation in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (at rest, during exercise) between the two groups (P > 0.05). These scores in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group at 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively (P < 0.05). The preoperative Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), range of motion (ROM) and Barthel scores did not differ significantly between the two groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative ROM and Barthel scores were decreased to the lowest at 3 d postoperatively and gradually increased with time, and the HSS, ROM and Barthel scores in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was significantly lower than those in the control group, and overall nursing satisfaction in the study group was significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After discharge, the SF-36 scores of patients in both groups were higher than those before surgery, and the SF-36 scores in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The cold therapy combined with ERAS for patients undergoing TKA can improve the postoperative swelling and pain of the affected limb, inspire patients' autonomy in postoperative rehabilitation training, shorten the time to out-of-bed activity, prevent patients from developing venous thrombosis, promote recovery of knee function, and improve patients' postoperative self-care ability and quality of life.

Evaluation of a new lactation device 'Lactamo' designed to apply massage, heat or cold, and compression to the breast.

BACKGROUND: Common approaches to manage breastfeeding problems such as pain, blocked ducts, and milk production issues include breast compression, breast massage, application of warmth or cold, medications, and breastmilk expression. Several devices are available to apply heat or cold to the breast, however, none promote breast compression and/or massage simultaneously. A new device 'Lactamo' has been developed to address this. METHODS: This study was a pre-market evaluation of the Lactamo device. The aims were to determine user safety, and satisfaction of Lactamo. The study was conducted in an Australian tertiary maternity hospital in 2019-2020. Women who were less than 3 months post-partum and were currently breastfeeding participated in the study. We conducted structured telephone surveys at 1 and 4 weeks post supply of Lactamo. Questions included demographic information, feedback on safety, usage, and perceived benefits of Lactamo. RESULTS: The cohort (n = 30) consisted of equal number of primiparous and multiparous women, 50% were born in Australia and the remainder from 11 other countries. A total of 41 telephone surveys were conducted with 27 women. Of these, 26 (96%) had used Lactamo, and the one that did not, felt she did not have a lactation concern to warrant using it. All women indicated that the device was safe to use and had no concerns, apart from one woman who experienced itching because of the device but continued to use it over clothing as she found it beneficial. Most women used it at room temperature or warmed. The frequency of use varied from once per week (17%) to daily (33%), and use was often prompted by a lactation concern such as engorgement, pain, blocked ducts, and low supply. CONCLUSION: Lactamo was found to be safe, and a valuable aid for breastfeeding women. More research is needed to understand the efficacy of the device in treating breastfeeding problems such as pain, blocked ducts, and milk production issues.

Efficacy of Siriraj, in-house-developed, frozen gloves for cold therapy reduction of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in gynecological cancer patients: randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cold therapy in reducing paclitaxel-based, chemotherapy-induced, peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The secondary objective was to establish the incidence of CIPN arising from paclitaxel administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled gynecological cancer patients who were aged over 18 years and receiving chemotherapy which included paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 every 3 weeks). The patients were allocated to control and cold-therapy groups by computer randomization. During paclitaxel administration, frozen gloves developed in-house by Siriraj Hospital were worn-with a cold pack inside-on both hands and both feet by the cold-therapy patients. The CIPN incidence was evaluated by FACT/GOG-Ntx (version 4) at each chemotherapy cycle and at the 1-month follow-up after treatment completion. RESULTS: There were 79 patients (control arm, 40; study arm, 39). The CIPN incidences in the control and cold-therapy groups were 100% and 48.7%, respectively. CIPN was significantly decreased in the intervention group between the first cycle and the 1 month follow-up after chemotherapy cessation (P value < 0.001). Four patients discontinued the cold therapy due to pain, but there were no serious adverse effects due to the therapy. CONCLUSION: The Siriraj Hospital, in-house-developed, frozen gloves can reduce CIPN effectively as part of cold therapy for paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. The benefits of using the gloves are apparent from the first chemotherapy cycle to the 1-month, post-treatment follow-up assessment.

Impact of Cold Therapy on Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy and Quality of Life in Patients With Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Taxane drugs frequently produce peripheral neuropathy (PN). Cold therapy to hands and feet during chemotherapy has been effective in reducing PN. OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to compare the frequency and severity of PN and quality of life in patients with breast cancer receiving cold therapy to their hands and feet versus standard of care during 12 weekly paclitaxel infusions with a follow-up at 16 weeks. METHODS: Forty-eight female participants were consecutively recruited and randomized to treatment versus control groups. This randomized control trial used the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane questionnaires to collect data weekly for 12 weeks and at 16 weeks. FINDINGS: A repeated-measures ordinal logistic model and binomial logistic model showed that patients on standard therapy were three times more likely to develop PN, with a progression toward severe PN, when compared to patients who were on cold therapy. There was no effect of treatment on quality of life.

Cryotherapy in Anterior Cruciate Ligamentoplasty Pain: A Scoping Review.

Cryotherapy is used in individuals in the postoperative period (PO) of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, owing to its effects such as increased pain threshold, decreased cellular activity, and vasoconstriction. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of cryotherapy on pain intensity in the immediate PO of ACL reconstruction. A scoping review was performed in the databases: Cochrane, Embase, Lilacs, LIVIVO, PEDro, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science; and gray literature: Google Scholar, CAPES Thesis Database, and Open Grey. PRISMA recommendation was followed. Two blinded reviewers performed the selection of studies: Phase 1-reading of titles and abstracts and Phase 2-Reading of the full texts and disagreements resolved in consensus. The references of 701 studies were identified, 603 from the main databases and 98 from the gray literature. After removal of duplicates, 387 studies were left for Phase 1-reading of titles and abstracts according to eligibility criteria and for Phase 2-28 studies for reading of full texts. Two studies were excluded: one randomized clinical trial and another sandwich study. Finally, 15 studies were included in this review. Cryotherapy is effective in reducing pain intensity because there were reductions in the scores of subjective pain scales in the immediate PO of ACL reconstruction. Cryocompression was shown to be superior to conventional cryotherapy.

Comparison between cryotherapy and photobiomodulation in muscle recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and cryotherapy (CRT) on muscle recovery outcomes. These searches were performed in PubMed, PEDro, CENTRAL, and VHL (which includes the Lilacs, Medline, and SciELO database) from inception to June 2021. We included randomized clinical trials involved healthy human volunteers (> 18 years) underwent an intervention of PBMT and CRT, when used in both isolated form post-exercise. Standardized mean differences (SMD) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval were calculated and pooled in a meta-analysis for synthesis. The risk of bias and quality of evidence were assessed through Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and GRADE system. Four articles (66 participants) with a high to low risk of bias were included. The certainty of evidence was classified as moderate to very low. PBMT was estimated to improve the muscle strength (SMD = 1.73, CI 95% 1.33 to 2.13, I2 = 27%, p < 0.00001), reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (MD: - 25.69%, CI 95% - 34.42 to - 16.97, I2 = 89%, p < 0.00001), and lower the concentration of biomarkers of muscle damage (SMD = - 1.48, CI 95% - 1.93 to - 1.03, I2 = 76%, p < 0,00,001) when compared with CRT. There was no difference in oxidative stress and inflammatory levels. Based on our findings, the use of PBMT in muscle recovery after high-intensity exercise appears to be beneficial, provides a clinically important effect, and seems to be the best option when compared to CRT.

Cryostimulation for Post-exercise Recovery in Athletes: A Consensus and Position Paper.

Recovery after exercise is a crucial key in preventing muscle injuries and in speeding up the processes to return to homeostasis level. There are several ways of developing a recovery strategy with the use of different kinds of traditional and up-to-date techniques. The use of cold has traditionally been used after physical exercise for recovery purposes. In recent years, the use of whole-body cryotherapy/cryostimulation (WBC; an extreme cold stimulation lasting 1-4 min and given in a cold room at a temperature comprised from -60 to -195°C) has been tremendously increased for such purposes. However, there are controversies about the benefits that the use of this technique may provide. Therefore, the main objectives of this paper are to describe what is whole body cryotherapy/cryostimulation, review and debate the benefits that its use may provide, present practical considerations and applications, and emphasize the need of customization depending on the context, the purpose, and the subject's characteristics. This review is written by international experts from the working group on WBC from the International Institute of Refrigeration.