Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Arthroscopic knee surgeries are performed in very large numbers worldwide, and in spite of relatively low complication rate, but the total number is significant. Some of these complications are due to tourniquet use and can be serious.
OBJECTIVE:
Is to asses if automated pump (with or without) dilute epinephrine saline irrigation can replace the tourniquet use in soft tissue arthroscopic knee surgeries.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
36 patients (9 females 25 % and 27 males 75 %) were included in this prospective experimental nonrandomized study, and were necessitated soft tissue arthroscopic knee surgeries. Patients were divided into two groups, in group A (patients) tourniquet and automated pump were used. In group B (18 patients) automated pump with or without epinephrine irrigation fluid were used. For both groups, visibility, time of surgery, amount of irrigation fluid used, pressure of pump, postoperative pain and hemoglobin level before and after surgery were assessed and compared.
RESULTS:
There was no significant statistical difference( p value more than 0.05) in regard to visibility, time of surgery, amount of irrigation fluid used, pressure of pump and postoperative pain between the two groups. There was no significant statistical difference between hemoglobin levels before and after surgery in both groups.
CONCLUSION:
Automated pump (with or without) dilute epinephrine saline irrigation can replace the tourniquet in soft tissue arthroscopic knee surgeries.
KEY WORDS: arthroscopy , knee, pump, torniqute, epinephrine.