Can ice packs speed up surgery recovery? new study investigates
NCT ID NCT04564963
First seen Jan 12, 2026 · Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Updated 22 times
Summary
This study tested whether applying ice packs over surgical incisions every 4 hours for up to 72 hours can improve patients' recovery after chest, abdomen, or groin surgery. 196 adults were randomly assigned to receive cryotherapy plus standard care or standard care alone. The main goal was to see if a larger trial is possible, while also measuring pain and quality of recovery.
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This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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North York General Hospital
North York, Ontario, M2K 1E1, Canada
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Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada
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The Ottawa Hospital
Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L6, Canada
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Cryotherapy (ice packs or gel packs applied over the surgical incision)
What this could lead to
If this works, it could provide a simple, low-cost way to improve recovery and reduce pain after surgery without extra drugs.
What could go wrong
This is a small vanguard trial focused on feasibility, not on proving effectiveness. The results may not show clear benefits, and a larger trial is needed to confirm any findings.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.