title: The effects of a cold pack on postoperative turbinate and/or septal bleeding and pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of a cold pack in postoperative turbinate and/or septal surgery in terms of postoperative bleeding control, pain management, and patient preference for or against application of a cold pack.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial was done at the Department of Otolaryngology, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Ninety-nine adult subjects intending to have turbinate and/or septal surgery were consecutively enrolled in this study. Intervention was randomized into two groups. Postoperative bleeding was collected by paper tissue and weighed to determine amount and/or volume of blood loss. Postoperative pain was measured by using the visual analog scale. Patient preference for or against the use of a cold pack was also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (standard deviation) postoperative bleeding in the cold pack group was 1.31 ± 1.50 g compared with 1.81 ± 1.89 g in the control group. The mean difference was 0.50 g (95% confidence interval, -0.19 to 1.19 g; p = 0.15). The mean (standard deviation) postoperative visual analog scale pain score in the cold pack group was 2.40 ± 2.32 compared with 3.33 ± 2.83 in the control group. The mean difference was 0.94 (95% confidence interval, -0.11 to 1.99; p = 0.79). Most of the subjects preferred using a cold pack (78.7%) to not using a cold pack (21.3%) (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cold pack after turbinate and/or septal surgery had no benefit in terms of postoperative bleeding or postoperative pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Prakobkiat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hirunwiwatkul
authors.forename: Natamon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Charakorn
authors.forename: Bussarakum
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teerapraipruk
authors.forename: Theerayoot
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jongsuebsit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013785:Thailand; D014420:Turbinates / Q000601:surgery*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D055815:Young Adult