Tourniquet-induced systemic inflammatory response in extremity surgery

Background: Tourniquet-induced reperfusion injury in animals produces signi ficant systemic inflammatory effects. This study investigated whether a bio logic response occurs in a clinically relevant model of tourniquet-induced reperfusion injury. Methods: Patients undergoing elective knee arthroscopy were prospectively r andomized into controls (no tourniquet) and subjects (tourniquet-controlled ). The effects of tourniquet-induced reperfusion on monocyte activation sta te, neutrophil activation state, and transendothelial migration (TEM) were studied. Changes in the cytokines implicated in reperfusion injury, tumor n ecrosis factor-ce, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, and IL-10 were also determined. Results: After 15 minutes of reperfusion, neutrophil and monocyte activatio n were significantly increased. Pretreatment of neutrophils with pooled sub ject (ischemia-primed) plasma significantly increased TEM. In contrast, TEM was not significantly altered by ischemia-primed plasma pretreatment of th e endothelial monolayer. Significant elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alp ha and IL-1 beta were observed in subjects compared with controls after 15 minutes of reperfusion. There was no significant difference in serum IL-10 levels between the groups at all the time points studied. Conclusion: These results indicate a transient neutrophil and monocyte acti vation after tourniquet-ischemia that translates into enhanced neutrophil t ransendothelial migration with potential for tissue injury.