Abstract
Tourniquet use in orthopaedic surgery is common practice. However, the technique varies among Irish orthopaedic surgeons and there are no standard guidelines. To analyse trends in tourniquet use among Irish orthopaedic surgeons. Ninety-two Irish orthopaedic consultants were sent a 15-survey question about tourniquet use by post. Sixty respondents returned a completed survey, of which 49 (81% of respondents) used both upper arm and thigh tourniquets. A variation in tourniquet pressure settings and techniques used was reported. Thirty-nine surgeons (65% of respondents) use a tourniquet pressure range of 201-250 mmHg for the upper arm and 30 surgeons (50% of respondents) use a range of 251-300 mmHg for the thigh. Thirty-six surgeons (60 % of respondents) experienced a complication secondary to tourniquet use, the most common complications being nerve and skin injury. Based on published studies of limb occlusion pressures, this study suggests that some of the tourniquet cuff inflation pressures used may be higher than necessary. Guidelines for optimising cuff pressure and technique should be established to minimise the risk of complications. This study may help determine direction for future research on tourniquet use.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.