Compressive cryotherapy is superior to cryotherapy alone in reducing pain after hip arthroscopy

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Abstract The early post-operative period after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement is characterized by pain and swelling. Minimization of pain is of critical importance to the patient, but pain might also reduce patients’ compliance to early physiotherapy, delay rehabilitation and hospital discharge. Avoiding early mobilization represents a risk factor for developing capsulolabral adhesions. Compressive cryotherapy (CC) has been shown to reduce pain after knee and hip replacement surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the inclusion of CC in the pain management and early discharge after hip arthroscopy. A prospective cohort of 20 patients who received CC and 20 retrospectively matched controls who received standard cryotherapy (SC) were compared. The CC was added to the standard post-operative analgesia and rehabilitation protocol. Using non-parametric tests, the percentage of patients discharged in post-operative day one, pain VAS scores and analgesia requirement were compared. The CC group reported significantly lower pain scores compared to SC; VAS 1 (0–3) and 2 (0–5) (P = 0.0028), respectively. A non-significant reduction in analgesic requirement 1.75 versus 2.8 doses per patient was found and 20/20 patients were discharged on post-operative day one versus 17/20 in the SC group (P = 0.23). Patients treated with CC after hip arthroscopy reported lower levels of pain during the early post-operative phase and were able to be discharged home sooner when compared with a matched control group receiving ice therapy alone. A trend towards lower opioid analgesia requirement was observed.