A new tourniquet system that determines pressures in synchrony with systolic blood pressure

Abstract

This study reports the results of the clinical use of a new tourniquet system for surgery of the lower extremity that can determine tourniquet pressure in synchrony with systolic blood pressure. We prospectively applied additional pressure of 100 mmHg during 100 surgical procedures (54 knees, 2 legs, 44 feet and ankles). A bloodless surgical field was obtained in almost all patients. The average durations of surgery and tourniquet time were 50 and 51 min, respectively. The average initial blood pressures were 112 mmHg systolic and 60 mmHg diastolic. The average maximum pressure changes during surgery were 33 mmHg systolic and 21 mmHg diastolic. No complications associated with this system arose either during or after surgery. The conventional tourniquet pressure in the lower extremity is 300 or 350 mmHg, whereas this synchronized system required less pressure, making it a safe, useful device for controlling a bloodless surgical field in lower extremity surgery.