Arteriovenous Graft for Hemodialysis: Effect of Cryotherapy on Postoperative Pain and Edema

Arteriovenous grafting offers an alternative for patients whose vessels are unsuitable for arteriovenous fistula. However, as a result of subcutaneous tunnel dissection, postoperative pain and edema of the operated limb present early after surgery. As a traditional therapeutic approach, cryotherapy has the ability to suppress postoperative pain and edema.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the feasibility of cryotherapy after arteriovenous graft surgery to decrease perioperative medication usage.

This study was a randomized controlled trial.

A large integrated health care facility in South China.

A total of 85 hemodialysis patients who received arteriovenous graft surgery from March 2011 to February 2017 were enrolled.

The participants were divided into an intervention group and a control group according to the postoperative management. Ice packs were applied covering the operative forearm for 120 minutes after wound closure in the intervention group. General information, pain score, analgesic consumption, wound inflammation, forearm edema, and participant satisfaction were compared between the two groups.

Cryotherapy-treated patients required less analgesia (26.19% vs. 48.84%, p < .05), reported lower pain score from 30 minutes to 48 hours postoperative (p < .05), less wound inflammation (11.90% vs. 25.58%, p < .05), and higher participant satisfaction (8.92 ± 0.57 vs. 6.52 ± 0.63, p < .05), whereas the incidence of forearm edema was equivalent (p > .05). No adverse events were reported in either group.

Cryotherapy is a preferable intervention for patients after arteriovenous graft implantation as a result of its favorable cost, convenience, and fewer side effects.