Cold Therapy for Pain Control in Pediatric Appendectomy Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
J Pediatr Surg
; 59(7): 1304-1308, 2024 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38570264
ABSTRACT
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.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pain, Postoperative
/
Appendectomy
/
Pain Measurement
/
Laparoscopy
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
J Pediatr Surg
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
Estados Unidos