[Effect of tourniquet use on blood loss in total knee arthroplasty].
OBJECTIVE
To reduce blood loss in total knee arthroplasty various physical measures including the use of a tourniquet are recommended. The question of an early tourniquet release is still unsettled.


METHODS
To confirm our theory that blood loss and need of blood transfusions might be reduced while removing the tourniquet for meticulous hemostasis before wound closure we analysed 70 (41 male, 29 female) consecutive patients with total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis performed by a single surgeon in a prospective-randomized study between 1/1996 to 6/1998. In group I the tourniquet was released before, in group II after wound closure.


RESULTS
We couldn't find any significant differences in the estimated blood loss, the decrease of hemoglobin and hematocrit level, and the transfusion need. In Group II we observed two cases of deep vein thrombosis. This difference was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that tourniquet release for hemostasis is not an effective tool in reducing blood loss or transfusion need in total knee arthroplasty.
Schuh
A
A
Orthopädische Klinik Rummelsberg, Schwarzenbruck.
Hausel
M
M
Salminen
S
S
D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001835:Body Weight; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014111:Tourniquets; D014945:Wound Healing