The effects of different dressings on the skin temperature of the knee during cryotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of different dressing types on the efficiency of cryotherapy.


METHODS
Eighteen normal volunteers were divided equally into group 1-no dressing, group 2-thin adhesive dressing (tegaderm), and group 3--bulky dressing ("wool and crepe"). Cryotherapy (cryocuff and autochill) was applied to one knee with the other knee serving as control. Skin temperature was measured bilaterally every 5 min for 2 h. Statistical analysis used temperature differences between control and test knees.


RESULTS
The mean baseline skin temperature differences were not statistically different among the three groups (p=0.96). The mean skin temperature decreases at 2 h measured, 17 degrees C (S.D.=0.8) in group 1, 17 degrees C (S.D.=1.9) in group 2, and 5 degrees C (S.D.=1.4) in group 3. "Wool and crepe" significantly impaired the cooling effect of cryotherapy (p<0.001). Tegaderm showed no significant effect (p=0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Wool and crepe dressings following knee surgery would prevent effective cryotherapy, whereas, thin adhesive dressings would not.
Ibrahim
Talal
T
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Glenfield Hospital, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK. talal_ibrahim@hotmail.com
Ong
Shong Meng
SM
Saint Clair Taylor
Grahame John
GJ
D000328:Adult; D001458:Bandages; D017679:Cryotherapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*