Ice Bag Research Articles

The Effect of Cryotherapy on Buccal Blood Vessels Evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography: A Pilot Study.

While cryotherapy is one of the traditional ways to reduce postoperative complications in maxillofacial surgery, the cooling degree is not regulated in most cases and the achieved effect is not properly controlled. Therefore, to develop optimal cooling modes, we propose to study the buccal vascular response to cooling, which has not been previously shown. To evaluate the effect of cooling, we analyzed vessel networks using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). The cheek vessels were OCT-A monitored using cooling by an ice bag/cooling mask. We found the advantages of using a cooling mask over an ice bag consist of a statistically significant decrease in the perfused vessel density (PVD) of the papillary layer at the oral mucosa. The absence of the reticular layer vessel reaction to any type of cooling was noted. We argue for the necessity to develop optimal modes of cryotherapy, which will contribute to blood perfusion reduction and reduction of PVD recovery.

Epidemiological investigation on diseases of Larimichthys crocea in Ningbo culture area.

Due to the high-density farming of Larimichthys crocea over the years, diseases caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites frequently occur in Ningbo, posing a huge threat and challenge to the sustainable and healthy development of the L. crocea's bay farming industry. In order to understand the diseases occurrence in L. crocea farming in Ningbo area, an epidemiological investigation of L. crocea diseases was carried out through regular sampling in 2023. From April to October 2023, routine sampling of L. crocea was conducted monthly in various farming areas in Ningbo. Each time, live or dying L. crocea with obvious clinical symptoms were sampled, with a total number of 55 L. crocea collected. The samples were preserved in ice bags and transported to the laboratory for pathogen detection(including bacterial isolation and identification,virus identification, and parasites detection). A total of fifty-five fish dying L. crocea with obvious clinical symptoms were collected in this study, of which 78.18% (43/55) were detected with symptoms caused by pathogenic infection, while 21.82% (12/55) did not have identified pathogens, which were presumed to be breeding abrasions, nutritional metabolic disorders, unconventional pathogens infection or other reasons. A total of twenty-five pathogenic bacteria strains were isolated, which mainly were Pseudomonas plecoglossicida and Vibrio harveyi, accounting for 52% (13/25) and 32% (8/25) of the pathogenic bacteria strains, respectively. Among them, both V. harveyi and Streptococcus. iniae co-infected one fish. Additionally, three other bacterial strains including Nocardia seriolae, Staphylococcus Saprophyticus, and Photobacterium damselae subsp.damselae were isolated. Microscopic examination mainly observed two parasites, Cryptocaryon irritans and Neobenedenia girellae. In virus detection, the red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) was mainly detected in L. crocea. Statistical analysis showed that among the fish with detected pathogens, 55.81% (24/43) had bacterial infections, 37.21% (16/43) had parasitic infections, and 37.21% (16/43) had RSIV infections. Among them, five fish had mixed infections of bacteria and parasites, three had mixed infections of bacteria and viruses, three had mixed infections of parasites and viruses, and one L. crocea had mixed infections of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. These findings indicate that these three major types of diseases are very common in the L. crocea farming area in Ningbo, implying the complexity of mixed infections of multiple diseases.

Bone density estimation using tissue heat capacity.

Osteoporosis onset is relatively asymptomatic, the condition often being identified only once a significant fracture occurs, leading to a potentially serious prognosis. Currently, early identification of osteoporosis is complicated by the difficulty in measuring bone density without using x-ray absorptiometry or quantitative ultrasound, so a simpler method for estimating bone density is needed. Given that bone is reported to have a lower specific heat than other tissues, we investigated the possibility of estimating bone density using this difference in tissue thermal properties. The tibia medial surface (shin) and medial malleolus (ankle) of 68 healthy volunteers were cooled using an ice bag, and skin surface temperatures and heat flow were recorded. These measurements were then used to calculate the heat energy transferred per unit temperature. Bone density was estimated by quantitative ultrasound using the T score OSISD, which is the participant's osteo sono-assessment index (OSI) compared to the average OSI of young adults. The heat energy transfer per unit temperature at the shin, but not the ankle, showed a significant negative correlation with T score OSISD (r = -0.413, p = 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that heat energy transfer per unit temperature at the shin was a significant predictor of T score OSISD, along with age and height. These results show that tissue thermal property measurements are useful for estimating bone density.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of EMLA Cream, 2% Lidocaine Gel, and Ice Bag on Pain Intensity Caused by Venipuncture in Children Aged 6-12 Years

Background and Objectives Intravenous catheter placement is one of the most common invasive care measures performed by nurses. Considering the contradictory results obtained regarding the effect of local analgesic techniques, the present study was conducted to compare the effect of EMLA cream vs. 2% lidocaine gel vs. ice bag on pain intensity caused by venipuncture in children aged 6-12 years. Subjects and Methods In this clinical trial, 160 children undergoing elective surgery were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into 4 groups of 40 using block randomization method. In this study, pain intensity was measured based on patient self-report and by nurses during venipuncture while applying EMLA cream, 2% lidocaine gel, and ice bag using the numeric analog scale (NAS) and the FLACC scale which included 5 criteria for child behavior. The range of scores in both scales is recorded from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates absence of pain. The data were collected using dispersion indices. Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test were used to compare the numerical scale of pain and behavior between groups using SPSS-16 statistical software. Results The mean age of the participants was 7.79±1.79 years, and 80 (50%) were male. The results showed that the mean values of pain intensity based on the numerical scale in the control, EMLA cream, lidocaine gel, and ice bag group were 4±0.78, 0.9±0.75, 2.80±0.18, and 2.60±0.67, respectively. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups according to numerical scale and behavioral scale (P<0.001), with the EMLA cream group expressing a lower level of pain based on both scales. Conclusion The results of the present study showed that the use of all three methods of EMLA cream, lidocaine gel, and ice bag reduced pain during venipuncture. The EMLA cream was associated with a higher amount of pain reduction compared to the other two methods. Therefore, EMLA cream could be recommended to be used routinely in the target area one hour before catheter placement.

Quantitative Assessment of the Heat Transfer Capacity of Ice Bags and their Cooling Effects on the Skin Surface and Core Temperature.

Ice bags are frequently used in medical care settings for pain relief, comfort, and in some cases, whole-body cooling. This study quantifies heat energy transfer capacity of ice bags and evaluates their cooling effects on body temperature. Forty-eight healthy adults in their 20s were recruited. An ice bag wrapped in two layers of dry towel was applied to the forehead, neck, or palm of each participant for 10 min. The skin surface temperature, heat flow, and core temperature were recorded during the cooling and non-cooling periods, with energy transfer calculated by integrating heat flow over time. Over the non-cooling period, 31.4-53.6 kJ·m-2 of energy was dissipated over 10 min, whereas during the cooling period, the range increased to 180.0-218.7 kJ·m-2 over 10 min. Skin surface temperature decreased by 3.2-5.7°C, whereas core temperature was unchanged. Ice bag use augmented energy transfer by about 150-180 kJ·m-2 over 10 min, but this was insufficient for rapid whole body cooling due to the small skin-surface area in contact with the ice bag. The measured energy transfer indicated that topical ice bag application absorbs insufficient energy to affect core temperature. Quantitative assessment of energy transfer was shown to inform the safe and appropriate use of thermotherapy.

Study of local cryotherapy methods for the knee joint

BACKGROUND: A promising method for treating musculoskeletal disorders to alleviate symptoms and promote recovery is local cryotherapy (LC). Proper control and regulation of the procedure enable safe interventions with predictable therapeutic effects for various locations.
 AIMS: This study aims to identify measurable physical criteria for the effectiveness of the LC procedure and the dosing characteristics and to compare and analyze the capabilities of various methods.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment involved 16 volunteers who were randomized into 4 groups. The first and second groups underwent LC using ice bags for 20 min with a cooling agent consisting of an ice and water mixture and a 23.1% sodium chloride solution. The third and fourth groups underwent nitrogen (for 3 min) and air (for 20 min) LC, respectively. During the experiment, the skin temperature was measured using a temperature sensor and thermal imaging camera.
 RESULTS: The lowest value of the minimum final temperature after cooling was recorded with liquid nitrogen vapor as equal to 0.88 ± 1.75 ℃. The minimum area of the work zone was 33.7 ± 7.1 cm2. When cooled with an ice bag with water and ice, the most uniform distribution of the temperature field among the investigated cases was observed, with the highest values of the minimum final temperature (i.e., 6.43 ± 0.90 ℃) and minimum area of the work zone (i.e., 135.2 ± 34.6 cm2) among the investigated methods.
 CONCLUSIONS: The main physical criteria for the effectiveness of LC are identified as temperature and the dynamics of its changes on the surface of the object of exposure. A dosing characteristic, i.e., the area of the work zone, was proposed and evaluated. In the area of the work zone, the target temperature is achieved. Based on the main physical criteria, the three main cooling methods are compared. These methods achieve the target result in different ways. The easiest to use and prepare are contact methods using ice bags. Air cooling in the investigated mode is more easily tolerated by the subjects, and in terms of the physical criteria, it is equivalent to contact methods. Cooling with nitrogen vapor leads to the fastest achievement of the target temperature on the surface and the least cooling of internal tissues; therefore, cooling deep into the biological tissue is limited.

Cryocompression to Reduce Peripheral Neuropathy in Gynecologic Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To investigate the efficacy of cryocompression therapy to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. This single-institution, randomized, self-controlled trial of cryocompression enrolled gynecologic cancer patients planned for five to six cycles neurotoxic chemotherapy. Exclusion criteria were prior neurotoxic chemotherapy or baseline peripheral neuropathy. Participants were randomized to cryocompression on dominant versus non-dominant hand and foot (treatment), with no intervention on the opposite side (control). Compression socks and gloves and ice bags were applied 15 minutes before, during, and 15 minutes after infusion. Primary outcome measures included the PNQ (Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire) and the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test; secondary outcomes included the FACT/GOG-NTX (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group - Neurotoxicity) and patient acceptability and tolerability. Sixty patients completing the study were necessary to detect a 70% reduction in the odds of PNQ grade C or higher peripheral sensory neuropathy with 80% power. Ninety-one patients were enrolled from January 2021 to October 2022; 69 were eligible for final analysis. Of the 91 patients, 64.8% were White, 30.8% were Black, and 1.1% were Hispanic or Latina. With successive cycles, more patients had sensory PNQ grade C or higher neuropathy on the control side compared with the cryocompression side. Cryocompression decreased the odds of sensory neuropathy (PNQ grade C or higher) by 46% at final visit (odds ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.31-0.94; P =.03). There was no difference in tactile sensitivity based on the monofilament test between sides at the final visit. At the final visit, average FACT/GOG-NTX-11 (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group - Neurotoxicity 11 Item Version) scores were significantly lower on the cryocompression than the control side (estimate -0.97, 95% CI -1.89 to -0.06; P =.04), as were FACT/GOG-NTX-4 (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group - Neurotoxicity 4 Item Version) scores (estimate -0.35, 95% CI -0.64 to -0.05; P =.02). More than 85% of patients assessed the intervention as acceptable and tolerable. Cryocompression therapy reduces subjective chemotherapy-induced peripheral sensory neuropathy in patients who are receiving paclitaxel or cisplatin for gynecologic cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04563130.

Analyzing the Impact of a Formula Including a Partial Purified Aspergillus Niiger Protease

Aspergillus niger protease has attracted the attention of experts in environmental biotechnology since fungi can grow on low-cost substrates and secrete vast quantities of the enzyme into the culture medium. In this study, the samples of Aspergillus niger were collected from bread and onion and then identified and screened for protease production using skim milk agar. The production of media has followed components in gm/100 ml –casein 1 g; yeast extract 0.6 g; urea 0.6 g; NH4H2PO4 0.6 g; (NH4)2SO4 0.6 g; NH4Cl 0.6g; DDW 100 ml; glucose 1 gm; and pH 8.5 for protease production, the produced protease in crud extract was partial purified with solid (NH4)2SO4 was added to it by continuous mixing on ice bag (80% saturation) and the protease activity was 640 AU/ml with specific activity of 1280 AU/mg. The formula containing the partially purified protease was prepared. The protease produced from A. niger applied in the formula was investigated by using skim milk agar, wells containing the protease-containing formula showed a significant clear zone, and this ensures the activity of this formula. Keywords: Protease; Skim milk agar; Iraq.

Evaluating the Hematological Profile of Pregnant Women and the Role of Folic Acid Supplementation in the Third Trimester

Folic acid, the significant vitamin used as supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy, if not provided in adequate amounts, can lead to chronic diseases. Neural tube development requires folic acid during gastrulation, and its deficiency may lead to the transformation of normal mucosa into a neoplastic condition. Objectives: To evaluate the pregnant woman's complete blood count (CBC) during the third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: Twenty-four (n=24) females were selected for the study during their third trimester of pregnancy to assess their haematological profiles by taking folic acid as a supplement. A 3-cc blood sample from the median cubital vein was taken from these females, immediately transferred to yellow-capped vacutainers and stored in ice bags. The serum was separated by centrifugation at 1000-2000 rpm for 2 minutes. The supernatant was separated as serum and transferred into vials for diagnostic tests. Results: The study suggested that folic acid significantly affects the woman's Complete Blood Count (CBC) profile. In short, folic acid raises the values of CBC during the third trimester. Conclusions: Folic acid improves haematological parameters during pregnancy.

Effect of second warm ischemia elimination on kidney graft function: an experiment and clinical study

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of a new device for second warm ischemia (SWI) elimination in kidney transplantation (KT).Materials and methods. The study included clinical and experimental stages. The clinical stage included 63 patients out of 219 who underwent KT at Botkin Moscow City Clinical Hospital between July 2018 and August 2022. The inclusion criteria were kidneys from donation after brain death (DBD) donors with expanded criteria or kidneys from donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors, and an SWI time greater than 45 minutes. The first group consisted of 24 recipients operated on using the new SWI elimination device. The second retrospective control group consisted of 39 patients where sterile ice bags were used at the implantation stage. The groups had no statistically significant differences in the main recipient and donor characteristics, as well as in perioperative parameters. Also, from November 2021 to April 2022, 23 kidney autotransplantation experiments in female Landrace pigs were performed. The animals were cared for in accordance with the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (Strasbourg, 18 March 1986). Efficiency of different SWI elimination techniques was compared on two experimental models: standard donor (group 1, n = 12) and asystolic donor (group 2, n = 11).Results. In the clinical trial group, mean graft temperature (tm) before reperfusion was statistically significantly lower in group 1 using the special SWI elimination device: 6.4 ± 1.7 °C (95% CI 3.2–8.5) versus 22.1 ± 2.3 °C (18.1–24.6), р < 0.001. The risk of delayed graft function (DGF) was 3.86 times higher (95% CI 1.11–13.43) with the standard SWI elimination technique. In the experimental group, in the subgroups using the new device (n = 12), graft tm before reperfusion was 5.1 ± 0.4 °C (95% CI 4.5–5.8), whereas in the ice bag subgroups (n = 11), tm was 29.3 ± 1.3 °C (95% CI 27.7–30.8), which was significantly higher (p < 0.001). The overall 1-week survival of the experimental animals was significantly higher in the SWI elimination device subgroup (logrank p = 0.036).Conclusion. The developed device is effective in eliminating SWI of renal graft.

Supraventricular Tachycardia in the Setting of Neonatal COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report.

COVID-19 infection, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may present with a wide range of clinical presentations and a variety of symptoms in neonates. The cardiovascular manifestations that have been described in the setting of COVID-19 infection in neonates are tachycardia and hypotension, but information regarding cardiac arrhythmias is scarce, while the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on myocardial function is still not well established. We present a case of a neonate admitted with fever and nasal congestion. The neonate was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) was diagnosed during his hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit. The neonate was under treatment with intravenous fluid repletion, intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics, and continuous hemodynamic monitoring. SVT resolved spontaneously, while the team was preparing application of further supportive measures with a bag of ice on the infant's face. The neonate was discharged in good condition on day 14 post-admission, with no further recurrence of SVT. Follow-up visits were scheduled with the cardiologist. SVT in full-term or premature neonates can be a clinical manifestation of COVID-19 infection. Both neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners should be prepared to deal with cardiological manifestations of COVID-19 infection in neonates.

Erratum: Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs.

Erratum: Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs.

Temperature-Triggered Adhesive Bioelectric Electrodes with Long-Term Dynamic Stability and Reusability.

Bioelectric electrodes with low modulus and high adhesion have been intensively pursued, as they afford conformal and strong bonding at skin-electrode interface to improve the fidelity and stability of electrophysiological signals. However, during detachment, tough adhesion can cause pain or skin allergy; worse still, the soft electrodes can suffer damage due to excessive stretch/torsion, hampering long-term, dynamic, and multiple uses. Herein, a bioelectric electrode is proposed by transferring silver nanowires (AgNWs) network to the surface of bistable adhesive polymer (BAP). The phase transition temperature of BAP is tuned to be slightly below skin temperature at 30 °C. Triggered by skin heat, the BAP electrode achieves low modulus and high adhesion within seconds, allowing robust skin-electrode interface under dry, wet, and body-moving conditions. Ice bag treatment can dramatically stiffen the electrode and reduce the adhesion, which allows painless detachment and avoids electrode damage. Meanwhile, the AgNWs network with biaxial wrinkled microstructure remarkably promotes the electro-mechanical stability of the BAP electrode. The BAP electrode successfully combines long-term (7 days) and dynamic (body movements, sweat, underwater) stability, reusability (at least ten times), and minimized skin irritation during electrophysiological monitoring. The high signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic stability are demonstrated in the application of piano-playing training.

Influence of cryotherapy with pulse compression on the functional condition of the knee joint after partial meniscectomy in the process of rehabilitation

It is known that the use of cold is one of the most common means used as an effective non-pharmacological agent in the treatment of injuries. The most commonly indicated effects of cryotherapy are pain relief, reduction of inflammatory edema, and elimination of muscle spasm. The aim of the study. To study the effect of cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression in patients after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in the early period of rehabilitation for the restoration of range of motion, perimeter of the knee joint and the tone of the quadriceps femoris. Methods of research. After first hours of partial meniscectomy the system "GIOCO CRYO - 2" was used in the experimental group in order to determine the effectiveness of cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression for restoring range of motion, knee perimeter and quadriceps muscle tone in patients.
 When turning on the device, the joint area was being periodically compressed by the cuff with a cycle of 30 seconds. The cooling rate of the cooled liquid was up to 7 liters per minute. Its temperature ranged from 11-15 degrees Celsius. Ice bags were used in the control group. The duration of the procedure in both groups was 15 minutes, twice a day. Conclusions. The data obtained during the study indicate the feasibility of the introduction of cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression to restore range of motion, perimeter of the knee joint and the tone of the quadriceps femoris after a partial meniscectomy.

The Effect of Sandbag and Ice Bag on the Pain After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Purpose: One of the significant complications of angioplasty is the pain at the catheterization site. These complications will increase the hospitalization duration and hospital costs. The objective of this study is to investigate the combined impact of using sand and ice bags on mitigating pain following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial research, we recruited 60 patient candidates for femoral PCI who were referred to Imam Reza Hospital of Mashhad City, Iran, in 2017. The patients were assigned to the control and intervention groups by simple randomization. The statistical analyst was blind to the study. The arterial sheath was removed 4 hours after coronary intervention. Then, a sandbag was placed on the site in control group subjects for up to 4 hours. The ice and sand bags were placed on the site for 15 minutes in the intervention group. Using a numerical pain measurement tool, the pain intensity was recorded at the beginning of the patient’s admission and 3, 6, and 12 hours after the sheath removal. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean & SD) and inferential statistics (The Chi-Square, Fisher exact, Mann-Whitney, Friedman, and t-tests). Results: The mean score of pain intensity in the sandbag combined with the ice bag group (1.1±1.0) was significantly lower than the sandbag group (2.4±0.9) at the 3 hours after the sheath removal (P<0.001). The mean pain intensity scores at the 6 hours after the sheath removal were 0.7±0.7 in the sandbag combined with the ice bag group and 1.0±0.8 (P=0.407) in the sandbag group. Also, 12 hours later, the pain difference between groups was not significant (0.2±0.4 in the sandbag combined with the ice bag group and 0.4±0.6 in the sandbag group (P=0.482). Conclusion: Although both interventions reduced the patient’s pain, the group with the combination of ice bag and sandbag tolerated less pain 3 hours after removing the sheath. Thus, this method can be applied as an available, effective, and cost-effective technique in angiography units of hospitals for reducing local pain.

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs.

Mud crabs (Scylla spp.) are commercially important crustacean species that can be found throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. During culture, the induction of ovarian maturation is important to meet the consumer demand for mature mud crabs and hasten seed production. Eyestalk ablation is an effective tool to enhance ovarian maturation in mud crabs. However, there is no standard protocol for the eyestalk ablation of mud crabs. In this study, two eyestalk ablation techniques are described: cauterization (the use of hot metal to ablate the eyestalk of an anesthetized crab) and surgery (the removal of the eyestalk using surgical scissors). Before eyestalk ablation, sexually mature females (CW > 86 mm) were anesthetized using an ice bag (-20 °C) with seawater. When the water temperature reached 4 °C, the ice bag was removed from the water. Flowing seawater (ambient temperature: 28 °C) was used for recovery from the anesthesia immediately after eyestalk ablation. Mortality did not occur during or after the process of eyestalk ablation. The eyestalk ablation protocol presented here accelerated the ovarian maturation of the mud crabs.

Effect of Ice Bag Application to Femoral Region on Pain and Vital signs in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Patients with myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) experience a great deal of pain and discomfort in the femoral region induced by femoral catheter removal, which can stimulate the sympathetic system and affect some vital signs. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ice bag application to femoral region on pain and vital signs in patients with acute MI undergoing PCI. Methods: This is a double-blind randomized controlled trial study. The sample of this study consisted of 60 patients with acute MI undergoing PCI, including 30 patients per group, selected by convenience sampling method and assigned to intervention and control groups by block randomization method. The intervention included the use of an ice bag in the femoral catheter insertion site. Data collection tools included demographic information form, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and vital signs form. Femoral site pain and vital signs were measured in both groups before, during, and after femoral catheter removal. The data were entered into SPSS ver. 22. Using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Mann Whitney test, data were analyzed. Results: Two groups were matched in terms of all demographic and disease-related variables (p>0.05). Pain score was lower in intervention group than in control group during and after the intervention (p<0.0001). Also, systolic, diastolic blood pressure, and temperature scores of the patients in the intervention group were significantly lower than the control group during and after catheter removal (p<0.05). Respiratory rate of the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group (p = 0.005). No significant difference between the two groups in the mean of heart rate in all three time periods (p>0.05). Conclusion: Application of the ice bag on the femoral region is effective in stabilizing the vital signs and decreasing the pain caused by femoral catheter removal in MI patients undergoing PCI. Therefore, considering its low cost and complications, topical application of an ice bag, as a nursing intervention to control the pain and keep stable vital signs, is recommended. Clinical Trial Registration No: IRCT201511070249191N7.

Continuous cryotherapy vs. traditional cryotherapy after total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Cryotherapy is widely applied to relieve pain and improve functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). New cryotherapy devices have recently been developed to guarantee a fixed temperature for a prolonged time. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare continuous cryotherapy and traditional cryotherapy (ice bag or gel pack) for patients after TKA. This study was conducted according to a predefined protocol registered on PROSPERO. Two independent reviewers performed an electronic database search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as risk difference (RD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and continuous outcomes were reported as mean difference (MD), or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs. Seven trials enrolling a total of 519 patients were included. There were no differences in pain intensity (MD: -0.54, 95% CI: -1.55 to 0.47; P = 0.30), analgesics consumption (MD: -0.37, 95% CI: -1.28 to 0.55; P = 0.43), postoperative range of motion (MD: 0.47, 95% CI: -4.09 to 5.03; P = 0.84), swelling of the knee joint, blood loss, change in hemoglobin, or transfusion rate. Meanwhile, there were no differences in length of hospital stay (MD: -0.77, 95% CI: -1.62 to 0.08; P = 0.07) and adverse events (RD: 0, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.03; P = 0.74). In addition, continuous cryotherapy leads to extra costs and resources than traditional cryotherapy. Continuous cryotherapy does not appear to offer significant benefits for TKA when compared with traditional cryotherapy. Based on currently available evidence, traditional cryotherapy is still recommended as continuous cryotherapy is not cost-effective. Further well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to further confirm these preliminary results. PROSPERO Registration: Identifier [CRD42022308217].

INFLUENCE OF CRYOTHERAPY WITH PULSE COMPRESSION ON THE FUNCTIONAL CONDITION OF THE KNEE JOINT AFTER PARTIAL MENISCECTOMY.

The aim: To study the effect of cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression in patients after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy on the functional state of the knee joint in the early period of rehabilitation. Materials and methods: A total of 63 patients took part in the research: the experimental group included 32 patients (23 men and 9 women), and the control group - 31 patients (21 men and 10 women). In order to determine the effect on the functional state of the knee joint after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in the experimental group, cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression was used with the help of «GIOCO CRYO - 2» system; ice bags were used in the control group. In the research process, the following methods were used: visual analogue point scale, sonography, goniometry and myotonometry. Results: It was found that in the experimental group, under the influence of cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression, there was a progressive decrease in the intensity of the pain syndrome, the accumulation of reactive synovial fluid, a dynamic increase in the amplitude of movements of the operated joint, and an improvement in the muscle tone of the quadriceps femoris (p<0,05-0,001). Conclusions: Thus, cryotherapy with adjustable pulse compression has shown a positive effect on the functional state of the knee joint in the early period of patients' rehabilitation, after partial meniscectomy and can be recommended for use in clinical practice.

Target temperature of local cryotherapy

BACKGROUND: local cryotherapy (LC) is a promising method of treating various diseases, as a result of which the effects of anesthesia and reduction of inflammation are achieved. The main factor of efficiency from a physical point of view is the achievement of the target temperature on the surface of the impact area. At the same time, during the procedure, the surface temperature of the tissue should not fall below the minimum permissible the limit temperature for safety.&#x0D; AIMS: identification of the range of target and limit temperatures in terms of safety parameters based on the results of literature analysis, carrying out experiments with the use of ice bag for cooling the biotissue phantom, determining the most appropriate impact modes.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: a series of experiments was carried out on the developed stand to compare the two modes of the contact method of LC, depending on the working substance used (sodium chloride solution, a mixture of ice and water). The comparison was carried out according to the following parameters: the time to reach the target temperature on the surface, the temperature at the depth of the model medium. The temperature was measured by resistance thermometers (Pt100).&#x0D; RESULTS: when cooled with a sodium chloride solution, the surface temperature of the model medium dropped to 10 C in 6 minutes of exposure, and after 17 minutes reached its minimum value of 6.2 C. In the case of using a mixture of water and ice, the minimum temperature of 12.5 C was reached in 58 minutes. The minimum temperature at a depth of 8 mm in both cases was approximately the same and was about 17 C. It was reached by 19 minutes with a solution of sodium chloride and for 58 minutes with a mixture of water and ice.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: as a result of the experiments carried out, the most suitable contact cooling mode with the use of ice bag was determined - a mode using sodium chloride as a working substance with an initial temperature of minus 18.4 C with a possible impact time from 6 to 19 minutes.