Cryotherapy after cruciate knee surgery. Skin, subcutaneous and articular temperatures in 8 patients.

We recorded temperature changes on the skin surface, subcutaneously and intra-articularly during cryotherapy after knee surgery by using Cryo-cuff compression dressings. Subcutaneous recordings on the contralateral knee were used as reference. 8 patients were examined. There was a reproducible decrease in skin temperature and subcutaneous temperature. Skin temperature had to be lowered to about 20 degrees C to obtain demonstrable intraarticular temperature changes.