A tourniquet in knee surgery is an inflatable wrapping which goes around the upper thigh to stop blood flow during an operation.
Page updated March 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)
Before inflating the tourniquet, the leg is usually elevated and wrapped toghtly with an elastic bandage to 'exsanguinate' it (get the blood out). Then the tourniquet is blown up above the level of the blood pressure, and the elastic bandage is removed.
Can the high pressure damage the muscle during surgery?
Surgeons used to routinely 'exsanguinate' the limb using a tight rubber bandage, and then blow up the tourniquet to above the patient's systolic pressure - keeping it there throughout surgery, and dealing with bleeders once it was let down. But nowadays the tendency is to try and keep the tourniquet un-inflated, dealing with bleeders as the work proceeds, and only use the tourniquet if bleeding becomes problematic.
This is to minimise damage to the underlying tissues from the high pressure and lack of oxygen.
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