Cryotherapy after cruciate knee surgery - Skin, subcutaneous and articular temperatures in 8 patients

We recorded temperature changes on the skin surface, subcutaneously and intraarticularly during cryotherapy after knee surgery by using Cryo-cuff compression dressings, Subcutaneous recordings on the contralateral knee were used as reference. 8 patients were examined. There was a reproducible decrease in skin temperature and subcutaneous temperature, Skin temperature had to be lowered to about 20 degrees C to obtain demonstrable intraarticular temperature changes.