title: The effect of eyelid cooling on pain, edema, erythema, and hematoma after upper blepharoplasty: a randomized, controlled, observer-blinded evaluation study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of eyelid cooling to reduce postoperative pain, edema, erythema, and hematoma after upper blepharoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  After bilateral upper blepharoplasty in 38 consecutive patients, one eyelid per patient was randomized for cooling with an ice pack, and the other eyelid was left uncooled. Pain was scored by the patients using a visual analogue scale (0 to 10) 1 hour and 1 day after surgery. Degree of edema, erythema, and hematoma were scored by the patients on a four-point rating scale (no, minimal, moderate, or severe) 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 2 months after surgery. Light photography was obtained 1 week after surgery for scoring the degree of bruising on a four-point rating scale by a blinded observer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain did not differ between cooled and uncooled eyelids on the day of surgery. However, pain in cooled eyelids was significantly lower 1 day after surgery (p = 0.046), yet absolute pain scores were low (median, 0 and 0.5, on a scale of 10). Edema, erythema, or hematoma did not differ between cooled and uncooled eyelids on any of the time points studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cooling of eyelids after upper blepharoplasty does not reduce edema, erythema, or hematoma of the eyelids, but reduces pain 1 day after surgery. However, because the degree of pain seems clinically irrelevant and because the majority of patients indicate that they have no preference for cooling over noncooling, eyelid cooling after upper blepharoplasty as a rule of thumb can be abandoned.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, II.
authors: Groningen, Zwolle, and Heerenveen, The Netherlands From the Department of Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen; the Department of Plastic Surgery, Isala Clinics Zwolle; and Bergman Clinics Heerenveen and Zwolle, Private Clinics for Aesthetic Surgery.
authors: Shariselle M W
authors: SMW
authors: Pool
authors: Denise C E
authors: DCE
authors: van Exsel
authors: Wynand B W H
authors: WBWH
authors: Melenhorst
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Cromheecke
authors: Berend
authors: B
authors: van der Lei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001458:Bandages; D019882:Blepharoplasty; D003288:Contusions / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000523:psychology; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005143:Eyelids; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007053:Ice; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D057240:Patient Preference; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D007053:Ice
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