Ice Machine For Surgery

June 21, 2023

Ice machines have emerged as a valuable tool in the field of surgery. Ice machines, also known as cold therapy units, provide controlled and localized cooling to various body parts before, during, and after surgical interventions. By reducing pain and inflammation these devices can help improve outcomes and help patients return their prior activities.

With so many units on the market it can be challenging to know which cold therapy machine is the right model for your needs. Here, we’ll review the most important options to help you choose the right ice machine for surgery to use at home or in a clinic setting.

The Benefits of Cold Therapy in Surgery:

Reduce swelling and inflammation
Reduce pain
Provide a natural analgesic effect
Reduce reliance on pain medications
Reduce muscle spasms
Accelerate the recovery process to start rehabilitation sooner

With all these benefits it’s no wonder that hospitals and physical therapy practices routinely use these machines because of how they help reduce pain and swelling. In addition to patients using cold therapy to recover from surgery, athletes can also benefit from the cold to reduce trauma from pushing their bodies to the limit.

Why use a cold therapy machine instead of using a bag of frozen peas, or an ice pack, or jumping into an ice bath? The benefits of using a cold therapy machine after surgery makes them a better choice for both short and long term use.

Cold therapy machines can control the temperature in their specialized pads. To enhance their effectiveness, some of the pads are also capable of applying compression in addition to cold.

While most machines are motorized to circulate the cold water, some units allow for battery-powered use which makes allows them to be portable. Both types of devices are convenient to use for treatment in a hospital or clinic setting. The machines are also lightweight when filled with ice and water which makes them easy to transport inside your home for a cold therapy session.

If you’ve already done your research, then here’s our best cold therapy machines to use after surgery:

1) Breg Polar Cube

The Polar Care Cube provides 6-8 hours of cold therapy and can be used for all of the following situations:

Post operative recovery
Arthroscopic surgeries
Reconstructive surgeries
General surgery
Post-trauma
Chronic pain
Physical Therapy

The device is is economical and is designed to hold up to daily use. It also has a compact design that makes it a winner for use in a clinic, hospital, or at home.

Pads for every part of the body are available. They click right into the hose easily to supply cold to whatever body part is being iced. Breg also has large size knee and shoulder pads with extended hose lengths to fit larger size individuals with ease. Plus they include straps to hold them in place so that you’re free to move about. Polar Cube Care checks all the boxes for a quality system with a great warranty to back it up.

2) Breg Polar Care Kodiak

The Polar Care Kodiak is designed for convenience and versatility. It’s the only one that has a battery option available to make it portable. This makes it the ideal solution for use in the clinic, your home, or on the sidelines of a game . Each battery pack (sold separately) comes with four replaceable AA batteries ready to power 10-14 hours of motorized cold therapy.

The system is easy to use and provides plug and play effortless cold therapy. Patients will love how easy it is to get their therapy done without disrupting their lives.

Pads are available for use on every part of the body and fit every size individual.

3) Donjoy IceMan CLASSIC 3

The Donjoy IceMan CLASSIC is designed from over 20 years of history and patient feedback. The system produces a constant temperature out at the pad so that it doesn’t result in frostbite. Unlike other systems, this product features a unique dual pump design that recirculates cold water already in the system to produce more consistent temperature therapy.

The system is ideal for recovery after orthopedic surgery and made to last. It provides 6-8 hours of cold therapy and maintains the temperature range between 45° and 55° for safe and effective treatment.

4) Donjoy IceMan CLEAR3

The IceMan CLEAR 3 features a clear plastic design that makes it easy to tell when it needs to be refilled with both ice and water. It utilizes DonJoy’s same recirculation system, which helps maintain more consistent and accurate temperatures than other competitive cold therapy units

The compact design makes it easy to transport and store after you’re finished with your treatment. Plus it comes with a complete line of cold pads to help deliver cold therapy to where it is needed.

Need it for icing every part of the body? Check. Need a pad to fit even a large size individual? Check. You can't go wrong with this IceMan.

5) Breg Polar Care Wave Cold Therapy System

This unique cold therapy system offers both cold and compression to relieve pain and edema after surgery. It comes with wraps that inflate with the cold water therby providing compression to help reduce post-surgical swelling. The machine has a compact design that's perfect for daily use. The motrized pump design is quiet and can increase the coldness to the area that is being treated.

This Breg system is ideal for treating acute injuries, as well as, for recovery (rehabilitation) after surgery. It simplifies patient care and can be used at home, at phyical therapy, or in a hospital setting.

The Breg Polar Care Wave is the perfect device to take into the day of surgery. It's affordable and costs many times less than similar models that provide both cold and compression. The cooler can be combined with a variety of different wraps to treat very part of the body. This premium cold therapy is hundreds of dollars less than the GameReady and is considered a staff favorite for value and functionality.

6) Aircast Cryo Cuff Cold Therapy Cooler

The Aircast Cryo Cuff IC Cooler provides cold and compression for recovery. Aircast has designed products for over 30 years using their patented technology to provide the benefits of pneumatic compression to reduce swelling and edema.

The system has a variety of cuffs available for the knee, shoulder, ankle, foot, wrist, back, hip, and rib areas of the body. You can find cuffs in both adult (Regular)and child sizes (Pediatric) to fit every person in the family. The cuffs are anatomically designed to provide a close fit around each body part so that the cold and compression provides the effective treatment.

The cuffs can be detached easily from the system so that you can move around. This makes it easy for you to carry the system around and avoid any type of interruption in your cold therapy treatment.

7) Game Ready Cold and Compression Unit

Game Ready Cold and Compression Therapy Unit

The Game Ready ice machine's versatility is a significant advantage. It caters to a wide range of applications, including sports medicine, orthopedics, post-operative recovery, and chronic pain management. Athletes can utilize it for acute injuries like sprains and strains, expediting their return to peak performance. Moreover, patients recovering from joint surgeries or managing chronic conditions such as arthritis can benefit from its therapeutic effects. The machine's customizable settings allow for personalized treatments, making it suitable for individuals at different stages of recovery.

The Game Ready works by combining cold therapy with active compression. This unique blend offers numerous advantages. By applying targeted cold and adjustable compression simultaneously, the machine effectively reduces pain, swelling, and speeds up the healing process. Its adaptable design ensures optimal coverage and maximum comfort, as it can conform to various body parts. The downside is that is costs nearly $4000.