EFFECT OF TOURNIQUET USE ON BLOOD-LOSS AND INCIDENCE OF DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Tourniquet time and its relationship to blood loss and deep vein throm bosis were studied in 80 cases of unilateral total knee arthroplasty. These data were part of a prospective multicenter double-blind study o n thromboprophylaxis for knee surgery. This study reports on the cases done at one institution in which the tourniquet was used in three dif ferent ways: group 1, no tourniquet use; group 2, limited tourniquet u se for cementing time only; group 3, tourniquet use throughout the who le case. Blood loss was significantly related to tourniquet time (P = .0001). The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was not related to the t ourniquet group (P = .9).