EXTRAWIDE TOURNIQUET AS REDUCTION AID FOR CLOSED INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING

The use of an extrawide pneumatic tourniquet as a reduction aid for cl osed intramedullary nailing is described, even in combination with the distracter. The principle is similar to that applied in fracture brac ing as described by Sarmiento: the reduction of the fragments is achie ved by ligamentotaxis (traction on the limb) combined with gentle conc entric soft tissue compression exerted by the inflated tourniquet. We have applied the simple, non-invasive technique in over 30 fractures w ith good results. Implementation of the method with an unreamed tibia nail (utn) is described as an example.