Citation

Gard A, Tegner Y, Bakhsheshi MF, Marklund N. Concussion 2021; 6(2): CNC90.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, The Drake Foundation, Publisher Future Medicine)

DOI

10.2217/cnc-2021-0002

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We aimed to investigate whether selective head-neck cooling could shorten recovery after sports-related concussions (SRCs). In a nonrandomized study of 15 Swedish professional ice hockey teams, 29 concussed players received immediate head and neck cooling for ≥30 min (initiated at 12.3 ± 9.2 min post-SRC by a portable cooling system), and 52 SRC controls received standard management. Players receiving head-neck cooling had shorter time to return-to-play than controls (7 vs 12.5 days, p < 0.0001), and 7% in the intervention group versus 25% in the control group were out of play for ≥3 weeks (p = 0.07). Immediate selective head-neck cooling is a promising option in the acute management of SRC that should be addressed in larger cohorts.

Language: en

Keywords

hypothermia; traumatic brain injury; concussion; return to play; brain temperature; ice hockey; selective head–neck cooling; sports-related concussion