title: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; is a tourniquet necessary? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This work aimed at studying the effect of tourniquet use on surgical performance and peri-operative outcomes of anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four patients undergoing ACL surgery were randomized into two groups: the tourniquet (A) group and the non-tourniquet (B) group. Post-operative pain, need for analgesics, the volume of blood obtained in the drain, girth diameter changes in the thigh and calf, muscle strength and amount of haemarthrosis were used as outcome measures to compare the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight patients were available for analysis. In the A group, the degree of pain and need to analgesics was significantly higher at 4 and 10 h. The volume measured in the surgical drain, at 24 h post-operative, was higher in the A group (p = 0.001). The calf and thigh girth diameters at 2 weeks showed a highly significant girth difference between the two groups (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that tourniquet use in ACL reconstruction increases immediate post-operative symptoms of pain and haemarthrosis and that the effects on muscle strength are only temporary. The tourniquet can be replaced by using of a mixture of morphine and adrenaline with no interference with the quality of visibility, nor operative time.
  
  
  METHODS
  I.
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Walid
authors: W
authors: Reda
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Elfayoum, Egypt. amg02@fayoum.edu.eg.
authors: Ahmed Mahmoud Fouad
authors: AMF
authors: ElGuindy
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Gomoa
authors: G
authors: Zahry
authors: Department of Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Beni Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt.
authors: Mona Selim
authors: MS
authors: Faggal
authors: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Mahmoud Abdel
authors: MA
authors: Karim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006395:Hemarthrosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014111:Tourniquets / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine
keywords: Anatomic anterior cruciate reconstruction; Muscle power; Tourniquet; Visibility