2024 AAOS Annual Meeting: Computer assisted cryotherapy reduce opioid use after total knee arthroplasty: a safe postoperative pain management

200 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty were randomized to receive either computer-assisted cryotherapy (CAC; n=100) or a standard pain management protocol (control; n=100). The primary outcomes of interest were pain on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5 and opioid consumption during the first five postoperative days. Secondary outcomes of interest included range of motion (ROM), swelling, blood transfusion needs, thrombotic events, and infection. Both groups experienced a significant reduction in pain, but patients in the CAC group experienced significantly better pain control on days 1, 3 and 5 when compared with the control group. Additionally, patients in the CAC group required significantly less opioid administration. There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes and no adverse events were reported.