Place of neurocryostimulation in the treatment of post-traumatic pain in Emergency Department

Objective: This work was designed to assess the antalgic effect of neurocryostimulation on traumatic pain in the emergency room. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in an emergency room during 12 days. Patients who were more than 12-year-old and admitted to the emergency room for up to 24 h for trauma pain were included. After pain assessment by a pain intensity numeric rating scale (PRS; score 0 to 100) during the first medical contact (t0), the patients received a single neurocryostimulation session. Pain intensity was re-evaluated just after the cryotherapy session (t1), and when the patients went out of the emergency room (t2). Results: Forty-nine patients were included in this study. During the first medical contact (t0), the average pain intensity was about 63 +/- 16. The pain score rapidly decreased to 46 +/- 23 (27% of reduction, P < 0.05) after the neurocryostimulation session (t1). Pain decrease was constant: the value of pain intensity at the release of the patients from the emergency room was 34 +/- 20 (46% of reduction, P<0.05). The decrease of pain intensity tends to be more important for patients with a PRS >= 70 (49% of reduction, P<0.05). Conclusion: Neurocryostimulation is an effective antalgic technique for emergency trauma for mild and major pains, as a supplement to usual antalgic treatments.