Assessment of hilotherapy compared to ice pack therapy in pain and edema control after orthognath- ic surgery: a pilot study

ALESSANDRO OLIVEIRA DE JESUS, GUILHERME LACERDA DE TOLEDO, GUSTAVO MARQUES DE OLIVEIRA CHIAVAIOLI, BELINI FREIRE MAIA, MARCIO BRUNO FIGUEIREDO AMARAL

Introduction: Orthognathic surgeries are indicated for correction of facial deformities, but they have side effects: swelling, pain, neural dysfunction and trismus are the patients’ main complaints. The cold therapies are well established and elucidated in the literature for these patients’ complaints regarding the reduction of postoperative edema and pain. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare conventional therapy with ice packs and hilotherapy, by evaluating and measuring soft tissue edema, pain, and surgical time. Methods: A prospective study after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery comparing both therapies with clinical measurements was performed in 17 patients divided into two groups: Group 1) hilotherapy (n = 10); Group 2) conventional therapy with ice packs (n = 7). Results: The results were in agreement with the results presented in the scientific literature, indicating that hilotherapy reduced the swelling more effectively than ice packs, even though they did not occur in the same pain analysis. Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that hilotherapy in the postoperative of orthognathic surgery seems to provide satisfac- tion to the patient with significant decrease of edema and equal pain report by both groups.

Keywords: Edema. Pain. Orthognathic surgery.

How to cite: Jesus AO, Toledo GL, Chiavaioli GMO, Maia BF, Amaral MBF. Assessment of hilotherapy compared to ice pack therapy in pain and edema control after orthognathic surgery: a pilot study. J Braz Coll Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Sept-Dec;6(3):15-20.

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