Cold Therapy Machines Causing Nerve Damage and Amputation

Washington, DCReported nerve and skin damage, amputation and other forms of injury are resulting in lawsuits being filed against the makers of cold therapy machines also known as cold therapy systems.

Cold therapy machines are typically cryotherapy devices that are supposedly meant to reduce pain and swelling resulting from surgery. Some of the machines, the lawsuits allege, may not have adequate safety features incorporated into the design, and so are defective. Additionally, the there may insufficient information available to the consumer on the hazards associated with using these types of products.

In April, 2004 a case study was published in the American Journal of Pain Management (Cryotherapy Can Cause Permanent Nerve Damage) which described the side effects experienced by a patient who had undergone prolonged and repetitive application of ice – or cryotherapy, and cryosurgery –(cryoablation).

Some people have reportedly suffered hand or foot amputation, limb loss, chronic nerve disorders of the arms and legs, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD).

In 2008, the FDA issued a Patient Safety Advisory and Class A Recall "to remind users of the risk of cold induced injuries and recommend important safety precautions for BREG Polar Care products." Other manufacturers of these types of devices include DonJoy and EBIce.

The damage resulting from the use of these devices may be permanent and painful, leading to chronic medical conditions that can incur expenses for medical care.