Hilotherapy following orthognathic surgery - patient and cost perspective.

A meta-analysis evaluating the effect of hilotherapy following orthognathic surgery demonstrated improvements in postoperative pain and swelling. In this prospective survey, we investigated the patient experience with hilotherapy following orthognathic surgery. Forty-five respondents completed the questionnaire. A high proportion of respondents found the Hilotherm mask to be comfortable (n = 40), were willing to wear it at home (n = 37) and were willing to pay for the rental service (n = 35). This highly positive patient-reported experience suggests that at-home use of hilotherapy following orthognathic surgery should be explored to enhance recovery and improve patients' comfort.