Silicone ring versus pneumatic cuff tourniquet: a comparative quantitative study in healthy individuals.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to compare a new silicone ring tourniquet (SRT) with a classic pneumatic cuff tourniquet (PT) in terms of tolerance and recovery time following their use in healthy volunteers.


METHODS
Both tourniquets were applied in the arm and thigh of 15 healthy unmedicated volunteers. PT pressure was kept at 100 mmHg above the systolic blood pressure. The appropriate model of the SRT was used according to the systolic blood pressure. Pain was assessed by visual analogue scale and arterial blood pressure, pulse rate and oxygen saturation were monitored in all volunteers.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in tolerance time between SRT and PT in the arm (19.13 vs. 18.25 min) and thigh (21.52 vs. 21.39 min) nor in recovery time between the two devices.


CONCLUSIONS
The SRT performed similarly to the classic PT in terms of tolerance and recovery time when applied in the arm and thigh of unmedicated healthy volunteers.
Drosos
Georgios I
GI
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece. drosos@otenet.gr
Stavropoulos
Nikolaos I
NI
Kazakos
Konstantinos
K
Tripsianis
Grigorios
G
Ververidis
Athanasios
A
Verettas
Dionisios-Alexandros
DA
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010147:Pain Measurement; D014111:Tourniquets; D055815:Young Adult