Effect of Cooling Therapy for Post-Operative Pain in Open Carpal Tunnel Release
University of Chicago
Summary
This study seeks to perform an appropriately-powered study to evaluate any clinical difference between continuous cooling therapy and traditional ice for treatment of post-operative pain in open CTR surgery.
Description
Post-operative pain control is paramount to all operative procedures and involves several modalities. Both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical measures are frequently used. Carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the U.S. with over 400,000 procedures per year.2 Frequently, ice is used as a treatment modality following surgical CTR.3 Several products have been developed in the past decades to improve ice therapy in the rehabilitation period. One such product is the Polar Care which provides up to 6-8 hours of continuous icing. While there is good…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18 or older 2. Indicated for open carpal tunnel release 3. Able and willing to complete online questionnaires Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior carpal tunnel surgery for ipsilateral extremity 2. Additional procedures to be performed on ipsilateral or contralateral extremity 3. Current opioid or narcotic pain medication usage
Interventions
- OtherPolarcare Machine
Use of Polar Care ice machine as often as possible, but a minimum of three 15 minute uses per day, for the first 3 days after surgery. No single use should last longer than 30 minutes.
- OtherStandard of care ice therapy
Use of commercial reusable ice packs as often as possible, but a minimum of three 15 minute uses per day, for the first 3 days after surgery. No single use should last longer than 30 minutes.
Location
- University of Chicago MedicineChicago, Illinois