(ONLY if you ordered or purchased one – if not, please disregard.)
At the conclusion of your surgery, a cold therapy pad will be placed within the dressing around your surgical incision. This pad is attached via a hose or tube to a small cooler to hold the ice water to be circulated to and from the cooling pad. Ice (or cold) is one of the best anti-inflammatory treatments there is. Since all surgery, no matter how small, causes inflammation and swelling, it is a good idea to cool the area surrounding the surgical incision.
The general idea of the cold therapy unit is for you to use it as much as possible for a few days following surgery. If swelling persists longer than a few days, it is ok to continue using the cold therapy until the swelling resolves.
It is ok to use the cold therapy unit as long as you can tolerate it, but avoid making it so cold as to cause pain. Also, never put the cold therapy pad directly next to your skin. Always have an Ace Bandage wrap or towel in between your skin and the pad. If it is too cold as to cause discomfort then turn it off for a while and change it to a warmer setting before restarting use.
Although you should use it as much as possible, do not use it for more than two hours at a time without turning if off for thirty minutes.
Thank you for choosing me as your physician. If you have any questions about your cold therapy device or anything else concerning your medical condition or surgery please don’t hesitate to call .