Effect of Cooling Therapy for Post-Operative Pain in Open Carpal Tunnel Release

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the clinical differences between continuous cooling therapy and traditional ice therapy for managing post-operative pain following open carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery. CTR surgery is common in the U.S., with over 400,000 procedures yearly, and effective pain control is essential. While ice is commonly used after CTR surgery, there is limited and conflicting data on the benefits of continuous cooling devices like the Polar Care machine compared to traditional icing methods. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one using the Polar Care continuous cooling machine and the other using standard commercial reusable ice packs. Both groups are instructed to use their assigned therapy as often as possible, with at least three 15-minute sessions per day for the first three days after surgery. No single icing session should exceed 30 minutes. During the study, participants will complete online questionnaires to assess pain levels using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 3 days after surgery and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire at 1 week. Researchers will monitor pain control effectiveness and any post-operative complications. The study is sponsored by the University of Chicago and includes adult participants undergoing open CTR surgery.

Effect of Cooling Therapy for Post-Operative Pain in Open Carpal Tunnel Release