title: A case of rhabdomyolysis associated with use of a pneumatic tourniquet during arthroscopic knee surgery.
abstract: The common causes of rhabdomyolysis include trauma, hypoxia, drugs, toxins, infections and hyperthermia. Operative insults, including direct trauma and ischemia, have the potential to cause the development of rhabdomyolysis. Pneumatic tourniquets used during arthroscopic knee surgery to prevent blood loss have led to many complications such as nerve paralysis and vascular injuries. Rhabdomyolysis can also be caused by prolonged pneumatic tourniquet application without a midapplication release, and also from an increased application pressure, but the actual incidence of this is low. In order to prevent rhabdomyolysis, the clinicians must be aware of such risks and follow strict guidelines for the application time, the midapplication release and also the inflation pressure. Vigorous hydration and postoperative patient surveillance are helpful to prevent rhabdomyolysis. We have recently experienced a case of rhabdomyolysis after the arthroscopic knee surgery, and the rhabdomyolysis could have been associated with the use of a pneumatic tourniquet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Gu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Pil
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Hun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Hyung Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014111:Tourniquets / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014463:Ultrasonography