2024 COA Annual Meeting: Cryocompression Results in a Significant Decrease in Opioid Consumption following Shoulder Surgery – A Multi Center Randomized Controlled Trial

Two hundred patients undergoing unilateral shoulder surgery were randomized to receive either cryocompression therapy or standard care. Outcomes of interest included the number of Oral Morphine Milligram Equivalents (OMMEs) consumed postoperatively, time to cessation of opioid use, numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) scores, 36 item Short Form Survey (SF-36) scores, patient experience using the Net Promoter Score, and adverse events. Outcomes were assessed up to 2 weeks post-surgery. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the cryocompression group had a significant decrease in opioid consumption (median 56.1 OMMEs vs. 112 OMMEs; p=0.02468) and increased self-reported function at 2 weeks (mean 61.2 vs. 54.2; p=0.0412) compared to the standard care group. The study concludes that cryocompression therapy significantly reduces opioid use and improves short-term functional outcomes after shoulder surgery.