A prospective randomised trial of tourniquet in varicose vein surgery

A prospective randomised trial of 50 patients was carried out to assess the autoclavable Lofquist cuff (Boazal, Sweden) as a tourniquet in varicose ve in surgery and determine the effect on bleeding, bruising, cosmesis and pat ient pain and activity. Patients undergoing unilateral long saphenous vein Ligation, stripping and avulsions were randomised to tourniquet or no tourniquet. Lofquist cuffs we re applied after inflation to 120 mmHg to the upper thigh for the duration of the surgery, Varicose vein grade, duration of surgery, blood loss, exten t of bruising at 7 days, pain and activity scores over the first week, and wound complications and cosmetic result at 6 weeks were recorded. Patients' age, sex, and varicose vein grade were similar in the two groups. Peropera tive blood loss (median, range) was significantly reduced in the tourniquet group (0 ml, 0-20 ml) compared to the no tourniquet group (125 ml, 20-300; P < 0.01). Operative time and thigh bruising (median, range) were also red uced in the tourniquet group (30 min, 11-47 min; 72 cm(2), 30-429 cm(2)), r espectively, compared to the no tourniquet group (37 min, 18-50 min; 179 cm (2), 24-669 cm(2)) both (P < 0.01). There was no difference in pain and act ivity scores in the two groups and cosmetic results were also similar The use of the Lofquist cuff tourniquet during varicose vein surgery reduce s peroperative blood loss, operative time and postoperative bruising withou t any obvious drawbacks.