An interventional study of Cryo-compression and Cryo-therapy in Rotator Cuff Injuries and Cryotherapy Effect, sponsored by Allina Health System. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-27.
Sponsored by Allina Health System · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Effective post - operative pain control following orthopedic surgical procedures without excessive reliance upon opioid pain medication has garnered increased attention in recent years. This study will evaluate the utilization of a non-invasive, novel cryo - compression, post-operative modality to improve pain control versus standard ice wraps in the immediate post-operative phase of arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery via a randomized controlled study design. Furthermore, if this study demonstrates improved pain control, improved quality of life and decreased opioid usage with the intermittent cold compression unit, recommendations may be considered for system-wide utilization.
The purpose of this study is to test the proposed increase efficacy of combining both cold and compression modalities through cryo-compression therapy in post-operative pain management in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery versus a control group of standard ice wraps. As opioid use within the field of orthopedics continues to grow as an area of investigation, surgeons must look elsewhere for pain management tactics.
Objectives of this study include:
Patients that are candidates for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and complete informed consent process will be enrolled in study if no exclusion criteria are present. The study has determined an enrollment goal of 100 subjects (50 intermittent cryo-compression therapy, 50 standard cryo -therapy).
Following informed consent, patients enrolled in the study will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio using permuted blocks of sizes 2 and 4 to have post-operative cryotherapy using ice packs or with the intermittent cold compression therapy unit. Randomization assignments will be contained in sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes, which will be prepared by an individual not involved in patient consent or patient treatment. After the patient is consented, the next envelope in the sequence will be opened and the patient will be assigned to a group following the treatment listed in the envelope.
Prior to surgery, the subject will complete pre-operative data collection. The subject will be given a tracking diary in order to record immediate post-operative data through the first post-operative visit. Subjects will undergo arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by a single surgeon as a standard of care procedure.
Subjects randomized to the study group will have the compression sleeve for the NICE Recovery SystemTM applied to the operative shoulder immediately post - operatively and those randomized to the control group a standard gel ice pack with wrap. Each will use the assigned version of cold therapy with a goal of 6 hours daily and will record overages using one half hour as a minimum unit.
After enrollment and surgery, subjects will follow a post-operative follow-up visit schedule including 2-days, first post-operative visit, 60 days, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months.
631 studies on the registry are indexed under Rotator Cuff Injuries; 156 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is above the median of 60 across 456 interventional studies indexed under Rotator Cuff Injuries.
Browse Rotator Cuff Injuries studies →Allina Health System is the lead sponsor of 38 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Patients who are candidates for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Fitted with compression sleeve for the NICE Recovery SystemTM applied to the operative shoulder immediately post - operatively Minimum 6 hours treatment per day post-operatively. Utilize cyro-compression unit with a "Medium" compression level (inflate to 35 mmHg for 2 minutes and then deflate to 5 mmHg for 30 seconds) and "Level 3" cooling (50F (10C)) for the first 24 hours. After that time, the compression and cooling levels will be up to the patients' discretion.
Device: Cryo-compression
Fitted with a standard gel ice pack with wrap immediately post-operatively. Minimum 6 hours treatment per day using gel ice packs.
Other: Cryo-therapy
Programmable intermittent compression with integrated cryo-therapy.
Also known as: NICE Cold Therapy
Subjects are fitted with gel ice packs and wraps.
Also known as: Gel ice pack
Evaluation of pain levels in the post-operative period using VAS Pain Scale.
Evaluate effectiveness of intermittent cryo-compression therapy versus standard ice wraps for post - operative pain control through patient reported visual analog pain scores and patient - reported opioid usage in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Pain levels will be documented by the VAS Pain Scale
Time frame: up to 15 days
Evaluation of post-operative edema comparing pre-operative and post-operative upper arm measurements.
Evaluate effectiveness of intermittent cryo-compression therapy versus standard ice wraps for reduction of post - operative tissue swelling in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by measuring circumference (inches) of upper arm using a flexible measuring tape.
Time frame: up to 15 days
Cost analysis of post-operative cryotherapy modalities and other historical controls of pain post-operative pain control.
Determine cost differential of intermittent compression cryotherapy versus interscalene catheter via historical controls as well as versus standard ice wraps.
Time frame: 10 days
Quality of life evaluation comparison of post-operative cryotherapy modalities using PROMIS Global-10 scale.
Evaluate effect of intermittent cryo-compression therapy versus standard ice wraps on patient - reported quality of life via Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global-10
Time frame: 1 year
Plan to share: No
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