International journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery
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Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Jan 2016
Review Meta AnalysisSystematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of hilotherapy following oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Craniofacial surgery causes immediate postoperative pain, oedema, and functional limitations. Hilotherapy delivers cooled water to the face at 15°C and may reduce the postoperative recovery time. This work presents a meta-analysis of short-term postoperative outcomes after hilotherapy. ⋯ Patients preferred hilotherapy to other cooling methods (P<0.010). Hilotherapy appears to be effective in reducing postoperative facial pain, oedema, and trismus, and in improving patient-reported outcomes. Well-designed randomized controlled clinical trials are required to clarify the procedure-specific efficacy of postoperative hilotherapy and optimal durations of treatment.