N
umbing nerves with local anesthet-
ics relieves post-op pain for days at
a time. Freezing them with a blast
of targeted cold therapy can provide
the same soothing effect for weeks
or even months. "Cryoanalgesia has the potential to
reduce the reliance on traditional opioid-based pain
management strategies," says Jon Wilton, DNAP,
CRNA, chief nurse anesthetist at Mercy Medical
Center Mt. Shasta (Calif.). "Limiting opioid use
reduces associated side effects, including addiction,
and facilitates early post-op mobility."
Cryo is performed percutaneously by guiding a
closed probe next to a nerve. Carbon dioxide or
nitrous oxide is passed through the probe until the
gas reaches the probe's tip and the pressure drops,
which results in a drastic cooling. The end result is
the creation of an ice ball that encompasses the tar-
geted nerve, freezes and disables it, and keeps
patients pain-free for extended periods.
The potency of this pain-relieving treatment is
one of the major reasons facilities are increasingly
looking at cryo in their quest to improve patient
comfort with fewer opioids. It's also why the treat-
ment is beginning to pique the interest of surgical
professionals who want to advance the manage-
ment of post-op pain with longer-lasting analgesia.
Straightforward and effective
If the process of cryo — targeting specific nerves
and blocking the pain sensation in that area —
sounds familiar, it's because, for all practical pur-
poses, it's similar to placing a standard regional
block. "When we say peripheral nerve block, every-
M
A R C H 2 0 2 1 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 5
The Cold Hard Facts on Cryo
With a variety of applications, the demand
for cryoanalgesia is increasing at outpatient facilities.
COOL COMFORT Jon Wilton, DNAP, CRNA, performs cryoanalgelsia to manage pain associated with total shoulders and knees, rib fractures and sensory nerve neuropathy.
Jared Bilski | Managing Editor
Benjamin
S.
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