• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1997 no.11
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• pp.388-391
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• 1997

A cryotherapy system using the low temperature air was developed. The developed cryotherapy system had superior low temperature characteristics and many safety devices. For a clinical evaluation, skin and intra-articular temperatures of the knee joint were measured during and after the cryotherapy. After 5-minute therapy, skin and intra-articular temperature decreased by $23.3{\pm}4.7(^{\circ}C)$ and $4.1{\pm}1.0(^{\circ}C)$ respectively. A 5-minute cryotherapy therapy is good enough to maintain low intra-articular temperatures or 2-3 hours.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.617-622
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• 1998

A cryotherapy system using cold air was developed. The developed system had superior low-temperature characteristics with various flow rates and nozzle sizes, and used R-404A, as a coolant, which has no destructive effects of Ozone layers. Flow rates and the treatment time can be easily altered during the operation. In addition, and alarm system was designed for the overload, overheat, and over-charge of the machine. For clinical applications, skin temperatures, intra-articular temperatures of the knee joint and intra-muscluar temperatures of the gluteal muscles were measured during and after the cryotherapy. After a 5-minute therapy, skin and intra-articular temperatures decreased by $23.3{\pm}4.7 and 4.1 {\pm}1.0^{circ}C$, respectively. A 5-minute cryotherapy was good enough to maintain low intra-articular temperatures for 2-3 hours. Resting intra-muscular temperatures in 2, 4, and 6cm deep in the gluteal muscle were $36.5{\pm}1.2, 36.9{\pm}0.2, 37.1{\pm}0.2^{circ}C$, respectively (p<0.05). Lowest temperatures in 2, 4, and 6cm depth were $35.1{\pm}0.7, 36.2{\pm}0.4, 36.9{\pm}0.3^{circ}C$, respectively (p<0.05). Temperatures after a 2-hour cold air application on the skin and in the muscle in dept도 of 2, 4, and 6cm were $32.2{\pm}1.1, 36.2{\pm}0.5, 36.6{\pm}0.3, 36.9{\pm}0.3^{circ}C$respectively (p<0.05). Temperatures on the skin and in the muscle significantly decreased after 2 hours, compared with before cold air application (p<0.05). The intra-muscular temperature was changed more slowly than the skin temperature, and the deeper the muscle, the lesser temperature changes. The effect of a 5-minute cold air application lasts up to 2 hours, and it seems that the rebound-rise of the temperature dut to the reactive vasodilatation does not occur in the gluteal muscle.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2002

Purpose : To document the change in the temperature of the knee joint at the initiation and conclusion of an arthroscopic procedure and correlate this temperature change with other intra-operative variables. Material and Methods : Temperature measurements were performed in 40 consecutive patients(42 cases) that underwent arthroscopic surgery. Temperature measurements were taken at the initiation of the procedure, before and after inflation of the tourniquet. The last measurement was recorded at the end of the surgical procedure. Results : The mean knee joint temperature evaluated before inflation of the torniquet was $35.1{\pm}1.0$, at the end of surgery, $24.6{\pm}1.5^{\circ}C$. The mean temperature change observed from the beginning to the end of the procedure was $10.5^{\circ}C$. The student t test showed a statistically significant difference of the initial joint temperature(p<0.01) between the patient with no and+1 effusion / between the patient with no and +2 effusion. The temperature at the end of the procedure was found to be statistically low correlated (p<0.01) with the lower temperature of the irrigant and the lengthening of the arthroscopic procedure. Conclusion : Consideration should be given to maintaining the saline irrigant to more physiologic temperature to protect the articular cartilage from any possible temperature induced damages.