title: The pneumatic tourniquet: mechanical, ischaemia-reperfusion and systemic effects.
abstract: The pneumatic tourniquet is frequently used for upper and lower limb surgery to reduce bleeding, improve visualisation of important structures and expedite surgical procedures. Despite advances in technology, localised tissue damage secondary to cuff compression, ischaemia-reperfusion injuries and systemic complications still occur. The combination of these problems may affect outcome and contribute to prolonged hospitalisation. Use of the correct pneumatic tourniquet cuff size and a patient-specific cuff pressure with careful control of the duration of inflation may help reduce the incidence of these injuries. The efficacy of ischaemic preconditioning or postconditioning, and experimental treatments such as free radical scavenging, and use of nitric oxide synthetase inhibitors on endothelial dysfunction, systemic neutrophil activation and coagulation reactions needs to be established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA. estebe@uw.edu
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Estebe
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richebe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004867:Equipment Design; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014111:Tourniquets / Q000009:adverse effects*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase