Silicone ring tourniquet versus pneumatic cuff tourniquet in carpal tunnel release: a randomized comparative study

Widening Access: Sterile Tourniquets for Surgery to the Distal Humerus

Purpose of the study The use of tourniquets during surgery of the distal humerus can improve visibility and reduce surgical time. However, the available operating field can be limited due to the size and placement of the tourniquet. This proof-of-concept study aimed to determine if sterile tourniquets can provide a wider surgical field compared to non-sterile tourniquets for procedures around the distal humerus. Methods Volunteers (n = 5) were positioned to simulate access to the distal humerus. The distance from the posterior corner of the acromion to the tip of the olecranon was measured. Participants were draped according to the standard protocol for the use of a non-sterile or sterile tourniquet for distal humerus and humeral shaft fractures. Two non-sterile pneumatic tourniquets (standard and narrow) and two sterile tourniquets (pneumatic and elastic exsanguination) were tested. The surgical field was measured from the sterile drape or tourniquet proximally to the tip of the olecranon. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to examine the effect of each tourniquet on the surgical field. Results The sterile elastic exsanguination tourniquet had the largest available field with a mean of 24.4 cm (71% of arm available for incision after application), followed by the sterile pneumatic tourniquet of 20.0 cm (58%), narrow non-sterile pneumatic of 19.2 cm (55%), and standard non-sterile pneumatic of 17.0 cm (49%). Repeated measures ANOVA determined that mean surgical field length is statistically significant between tourniquet devices (F (1.729, 6.914) = 21.783, p = .001). The surgical field length was statistically significantly increased from a non-sterile standard tourniquet to a sterile elastic tourniquet (7.4 (95% CI, 2.9-11.9) cm, p = .008) but not the other two tourniquet devices tested. Conclusion The use of certain types of sterile tourniquets can provide a wider surgical field compared to non-sterile tourniquets for procedures around the distal humerus, specifically the sterile elastic exsanguination tourniquet providing a statistically significant mean gain of 7.4 cm from the non-sterile tourniquets. These findings suggest that the use of sterile tourniquets should be considered more frequently in surgery of the distal humerus, and a sterile exsanguinating tourniquet could be considered for midshaft humeral fractures, facilitating safer exposure of the radial nerve and reduced blood loss.

Use of the HemaClear™ elastic tourniquet reduces blood loss in operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures

BACKGROUND

To determine if the use of a narrower elastic tourniquet compared to a standard pneumatic tourniquet reduces operative blood loss in the operative fixation of humeral shaft fractures.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was performed at a level I trauma center and included 134 patients, aged 18 to 90 years, with a humeral shaft fracture treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) from January 2007 through June 2018. The primary variable of interest was the application of a HemaClear™ elastic tourniquet versus a standard pneumatic tourniquet during the fixation of a humeral shaft fracture. The primary outcome was estimated blood loss (EBL) during the humerus ORIF surgery as recorded in the operative record. The secondary outcomes were total tourniquet time and operative time. The primary purpose of the study was to compare the above outcomes between the two tourniquet types.

RESULTS

Estimated blood loss was 42% lower (95% CI: 11% to 73%, p < 0.01) in the elastic tourniquet group when compared to the standard pneumatic tourniquet group. The use of the elastic tourniquet was also associated with a 67% increase (95% CI: 35% to 100%, p < 0.01) in tourniquet time compared to the standard pneumatic tourniquet. No difference in the total operative time between the two groups (difference, -3%; 95% CI: -21 to 14, p = 0.72) was observed.

CONCLUSION

Elastic tourniquet use was associated with 42% less blood loss in the fixation of humeral shaft fractures compared to use of a traditional pneumatic tourniquet, although this may be of unclear clinical importance given the relatively low estimated blood loss in this cohort. The potential benefit of reduced blood loss associated with the narrower elastic tourniquet is likely caused by the increased tourniquet time, without a change in overall operative time.

Elastic pneumatic tourniquet cuff can reduce postoperative thigh pain after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized trial

Background

Tourniquet use is associated with complications such as thigh pain, skin problems, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This prospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the pneumatic tourniquet system using an elastic cuff and limb occlusion pressure (LOP) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The hypothesis of this study was that an elastic cuff tourniquet would result in less postoperative thigh pain after TKA.

Methods

This prospective randomized controlled trial involved a total of 98 patients who underwent primary TKA. They were randomized into two groups: tourniquet system using an elastic cuff and LOP group (Group E) and tourniquet system using a conventional-cuff and LOP group (Group C). Outcomes including postoperative thigh pain assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), serum muscle enzymes, recommended tourniquet pressure (RTP), bloodlessness of surgical field, surgical time, incidence of DVT, and the frequency of rescue analgesic use after surgery, were compared between groups.

Results

Patients in Group E experienced significantly less thigh pain compared to those in Group C on postoperative day 4 (P = 0.01) and day 7 (P = 0.04). The difference between RTP and systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in Group E (P = 0.045). One case of thigh DVT was found in Group E, while no such cases were found in Group C. One and two cases of poor bloodless surgical fields were observed in Group E and Group C, respectively. There was no significant difference in surgical time, levels of serum muscle enzymes, and the frequency of rescue analgesic use between the two groups.

Conclusions

The pneumatic tourniquet system using an elastic cuff and LOP reduced early postoperative thigh pain more effectively than did the tourniquet system using a conventional cuff and LOP.

Trial registration

#KCT0003149. Registered August 17, 2018 - Retrospectively registered.

Silicone ring tourniquet versus pneumatic cuff tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty surgery: A randomised comparative study

Introduction

The aim of the present study was to compare a silicone ring tourniquet (SRT) and a classic pneumatic cuff tourniquet (PT) in patients undergoing total knee replacement. We have compared the impact on the glycolytic activity caused by the ischaemia applied to the limb during the surgery.

Material and methods

140 patients that underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were randomised in two groups. Serum lactate determination was made by reactive strips of enzymatic-amperometric detection, 5 min before tourniquet application and 5 min after tourniquet removal.

Results

The mean tourniquet time was similar for both groups (p 0.13). Postoperative serum lactate levels were higher with statistical significance than the preoperative levels and with a positive Pearson´s correlation in the overall cases. The postoperative serum lactate levels where higher in the PT group (4.097 ± 2.248 mmol/L) than the SRT group (3.499 ± 1.566 mmol/L). There was no significant difference (p 0.07) to be able to affirm that there was a difference of the anaerobic metabolism according to the tourniquet system used.

Discussion

Ischaemia applied to the lower extremity during knee replacement surgery can produce tissue injury. Serum lactate determination allows comparison of the ischaemic changes during TKA surgery caused by two different tourniquet systems.

Conclusions

SRT may be not disadvantageous compared to the classic PT from the impact on the glycolytic activity caused by the ischaemia.Level of evidence II.

Efficacy of Keyhole Approach to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome under Ambulatory Strategy

The carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common entrapment neuropathies found in humans. Currently, the gold standard is surgical treatment using different modalities. The minimally invasive strategy with high resolution capacity and less morbidity is still a challenge. Methods. Prospective nonrandomised clinical trial in which a minimally invasive microsurgical approach was used following the keyhole principle in 55 consecutive patients and 65 hands under local anesthesia and ambulatory strategy. They were evaluated with stringent inclusion criteria with the Levine severity and functional status scale and with a 2-year follow-up. Results. 90% showed immediate improvement dropping to grades 1-2 in all items of the scale referring to pain and numbness. 97% reported improvement, as of the first month, and 3% reported persistence of symptoms, although at a lesser degree and with no functional limitation. No incidents were identified during the procedure and 98% of patients were discharged within an hour after the surgical procedure. Conclusions. The microsurgical approach described following the keyhole principle is a treatment option that, under local anesthesia and ambulatory management, may represent an alternative strategy of an effective treatment reducing the morbidity. This trial is registered with Clinical Trials Protocol Identifier NCT03062722.

A single blind randomised controlled trial of the impact on patient-reported pain of arm elevation versus exsanguination prior to tourniquet inflation

AIMS

The aim of this study was to compare the pain caused by the application of a tourniquet after exsanguination of the upper limb with that occurring after simple elevation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used 26 healthy volunteers (52 arms), each of whom acted as their own matched control. The primary outcome measure was the total pain experienced by each volunteer while the tourniquet was inflated for 20 minutes. This was calculated as the area under the pain curve for each individual subject. Secondary outcomes were pain at each time point; the total pain experienced during the recovery phase; the ability to tolerate the tourniquet and the time for full recovery after deflation of the tourniquet.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the area under the pain curves in favour of exsanguination (mean difference 8.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0 to 13.7, p = 0.004). There was no difference between the dominant and non-dominant arms (mean difference -0.2; 95% CI -23.2 to 22.8, p = 0.99). The area under both recovery curves were similar (mean difference 0.7; 95% CI -6.0 to 4.6, p = 0.78). There was no statistical difference in recovery time, the actual mean difference being 30 seconds longer in the elevation group (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

Many orthopaedic and plastic surgery procedures are done under local anaesthetic or regional block where a bloodless field and a motionless patient are essential. Optimising patient comfort during surgery with the tourniquet inflated is thus a priority. This study is useful in that it compares two common methods of preparation of the upper limb prior to tourniquet inflation and which have not previously been compared in this context. Following on the results of this study, we can confidently conclude that exsanguinating the upper limb before inflating a tourniquet is more comfortable than simply elevating the arm for patients undergoing a procedure under local or regional block, both during the procedure and in the recovery phase.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Exsanguination rather than elevation is recommended in order to minimise patient discomfort and optimise the surgical field.

The Effect of the Silicone Ring Tourniquet and Standard Pneumatic Tourniquet on the Motor Nerve Conduction, Pain and Grip Strength in Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND

The pneumatic tourniquet (PT) is routinely used in upper and lower limb operations by most orthopaedic surgeons. The silicone ring tourniquet (SRT) was introduced in clinical practice over the last decade. Clinical as well as comparative studies have been published in volunteers concerning its safety and efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate the postoperative effect of the silicone ring tourniquet (SRT), primarily on the motor nerve conduction, and secondarily on the pain and grip strength, in comparison to the effect of the pneumatic tourniquet (PT) in healthy volunteers.

METHODS

Both tourniquets were applied in the forearm of the dominant arm in 20 healthy volunteers and were kept on for 10 minutes. Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale and grip strength was measured with a hand dynamometer. We evaluated the following parameters of median nerve conduction: motor conduction velocity (MCV), latency (LAT) and amplitude (AMP).

RESULTS

Pain score at the time of tourniquet application was higher in SRT group but the alteration in pain scores in PT group was higher, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The grip strength was reduced by the application of both tourniquets; however there was a significantly higher reduction in the SRT group (P<0.05). The conduction impairment of the median nerve was worse in the PT group than in the SRT one, according to the changes in MCV (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Median nerve conduction was affected more after PT application as compared to the SRT. Nevertheless, the reduction of grip strength was higher after the SRT application.