Crioterapia no pós-parto: Tempo de aplicação e mudanças na temperatura perineal

Abstract

We present a descriptive study based on the data from two clinical trials conducted at a maternity hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2008 and 2009. This study aimed to describe perineal temperature atier the application of an ice pack during the postpartum period. Three groups of 38 postpartum women (n=114 total) received an ice pack between 2 and 48 h atier delivery. The results showed that atier 10 minutes of cryotherapy, the mean perineal temperature varied between 13.3°C and 15.3°C, with a small reduction at the end of the 15- and 20-minute applications (2.4°C and 2.7°C, respectively). Women who received cryotherapy for 10 minutes reported a cool sensation and pain relief; atier a session of 15 or 20 minutes, the women reported anesthesia and numbness. In conclusion, an ice pack applied for 10 minutes reduced the perineal temperature to the recommended levels for analgesia (10-15°C).