Effect of ankle versus thigh tourniquets on post-operative pain in foot and ankle surgery

BACKGROUND Tourniquets are commonly used in elective extremity orthopaedic surgery to reduce blood loss,improve visualization in the surgical field,and to potentially reduce surgical time.There is a lack of consensus in existing guidelines regarding the optimal tourniquet pressure,placement site,and duration of use.There is a paucity of data on the relationship between the site of a tourniquet and postoperative pain in foot and ankle surgery.AIM To explore the relationship between tourniquet site and intensity of post-operative pain scores in patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery.METHODS Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 201 patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery in a single institution was undertaken.Intraoperative tourniquet duration,tourniquet pressure and site,and postoperative pain scores using Visual Analogue Score were collected in immediate recovery,at six hours and at 24 h post-op.Scatter plots were used to analyse the data and to assess for the statistical correlation between tourniquet pressure,duration,site,and pain scores using Pearson correlation coefficient.RESULTS All patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery had tourniquet pressure of 250 mmHg for ankle tourniquet and 300 mmHg for thigh.There was no correlation between the site of the tourniquet and pain scores in recovery,at six hours and after 24 h.There was a weak correlation between tourniquet time and Visual Analogue Score immediately post-op(r=0.14,P=0.04)but not at six or 24 h post-operatively.CONCLUSION This study shows that there was no statistically significant correlation between tourniquet pressure,site and postop pain in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery.The choice of using a tourniquet is based on the surgeon's preference,with the goal of minimizing the duration of its application at the operative site.

Combat lifesaver-trained, first-responder application of junctional tourniquets: A prospective, randomized,crossover trial

Background:Junctional hemorrhage surpassed extremity hemorrhage as the leading cause of preventable death after the resurgence of limb tourniquets during the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.Junctional tourniquets(JTQs)were developed in response to this injury pattern.Published data for JTQ efficacy are limited and do not incorporate nonmedical,military first responders.We compared the time for effective placement and scores for device satisfaction between two different JTQs,stratified by combat lifesaver(CLS)and combat medics.Methods:We performed a prospective,randomized,crossover trial utilizing the SAM ’ Medical Junctional Tourniquet(SJT)and Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool(JETTTM).Investigators simple randomized CLS and combat medics to SJT or JETT for their first JTQ application on mannequins with penetrating inguinal injuries.Then,participants immediately placed the other JTQ on another casualty with the same injury.The primary outcome measured was time of successful applicatio n.Success was defined as proper JTQ placement and a pressu re reading of at least 180 mmHg.We compared outcomes between CLS and combat medics.Unsuccessful JTQ applications were excluded from the comparative analysis.Results:From June 2015 to August 2015,a total of 227 personnel(133 CLS and 94 combat medics)at Fort Hood,Texas,USA volunteered to participate in the study.Twenty-eight percent(38 of 133)of CLS and 40%(38 of 94)of combat medics placed both JTQs successfully,for a total of 152 applications(76 SJTs and 76 JETTs).We found a significant difference between applications of the JETT between the CLS and combat medics(92.0±37.7 s versus70.5±20.5 s,P=0.004).No other subg roup analyses,whether by device or user,demonstrated a sig nifica nt difference in application time.Both groups preferred the SJT over the JETT.CLS disagreed with combat medics that the JETT could be easily applied by one person(median 3.0[2.0,4.0]versus median 4.0[3.0,5.0];P=0.006).Conclusions:Overall,success rates for both the SJT and JETT were low.Improved training is needed to increase successful application of junctional tourniquets before widespread implementation.Combat lifesavers and combat medics prefer the SJT over the JETT.

Tourniquets do not increase the total blood loss or reamputation risk in transtibial amputations

AIM To investigate the total blood loss(TBL) and the safety with respect to the re-amputation rate after transtibial amputation(TTA) conducted with and without a tourniquet. METHODS The study was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of patients with a primary TTA admitted between January 2013 and April 2015. All patients with a primary TTA were assessed for inclusion if the amputation was performed because of arteriosclerosis or diabetic complications. All patients underwent a standardized TTA procedure that was performed approximately 10 cm below the knee joint and performed with sagittalflaps. The pneumatic tourniquet, when used, was inflated around the femur to a pressure of 100 mmH g above the systolic blood pressure. The number of blood transfusions within the first four postoperative days was recorded. The intraoperative blood loss(OBL), which is defined as the volume of blood lost during surgery, was determined from the suction volume and by the weight difference of the surgical dressings. The trigger for a blood transfusion was set at a decrease in the Hgb level < 9.67 g/dL(6 mmol/L). Transfusions were performed with pooled red blood cells containing 245 m L per portion, which equals 55 g/L of haemoglobin. The TBL during the first four postoperative days was calculated based on the haemoglobin level and the estimated blood volume. The re-amputation rate was evaluated within 30 d. RESULTS Seventy-four out of 86 consecutive patients who underwent TTA within the two-year study period were included in the analysis. Of these, 38 were operated on using a tourniquet and 36 were operated on without using a tourniquet. There were no significant preoperative differences between the groups. The patients in both groups had a postoperative decrease in their Hgb level compared with preoperative baseline values. The patients operated on using a tourniquet received approximately three millilitres less blood transfusion per kilogram body weight compared with patients operated on without a tourniquet. The duration of surgery was shorter and the OBL was less for the tourniquet group than the non-tourniquet group, whereas no significant difference was observed for the TBL. The TBL median was 859 mL(IQR: 383-1315) in the non-tourniquet group vs 737 mL(IQR: 331-1218) in the tourniquet group(P = 0.754). Within the 30-d follow-up period, 9 patients in the tourniquet group and 11 in the non-tourniquet group underwent a reamputation at the trans-femoral level. The use of a tourniquet showed no statistically significant association with the 30-d re-amputation at the femur level in the multiple logistic regression model(P = 0.78). The only variable with a significant association with re-amputation was age(OR = 1.07; P = 0.02).CONCLUSION The results indicate that tourniquets do not cause severe vascular damage with an increased postoperative bleeding or failure rate as the result.

Nerve compression and pain in human volunteers with narrow vs wide tourniquets

AIM: To assess the clinical effects and the morphological grade of nerve compression.METHODS: In a prospective single-center randomized, open study we assessed the clinical effects and the morphological grade of nerve compression during 20 min of either a silicon ring(group A) or pneumatic tourniquet(group B) placement variantly on the upper non-dominant limb in 14 healthy human volunteers. Before and during compression, the median and radial nerves were visualized in both groups by 3 Tesla MR imaging, using high resolutional(2.5 mm slice thickness) axial T2-weighted sequences. RESULTS: In group A, Visual analog pain scale was 5.4 ± 2.2 compared to results of group B, 2.9 ± 2.5, showing a significant difference(P = 0.028). FPS levels in group A were 2.6 ± 0.9 compared to levels in group B 1.6 ± 1, showing a significant difference(P = 0.039). Results related to measureable effect on median and radial nerve function were equal in both groups. No undue pressure signs on the skin, redness or nerve damage occurred in either group. There was no significant difference in the diameters of the nerves without and under compression in either group on T2 weighted images.CONCLUSION: Based on our results, no differences between narrow and wide tourniquets were identified. Silicon ring tourniquets can be regarded as safe for short time application.

Evaluation of emergency tourniquets for prehospital use in China

Objective： Massive hemorrhage is lifethreatening during armed conflicts. Tourniquets are important medical devices used to reduce severe bleeding in trauma. The aim of this study was to empirically evaluate the current tourniquets used in China and provide information to emergency nurses in selecting the appropriate tourniquet. Methods： Five tourniquets were self-applied by 20 healthy participants. The blood flow distal to the tourniquet site was assessed using vascular Doppler ultrasound. Application time, pain, numbness, and other parameters were evaluated. Results： The bladder tourniquet and windlass tourniquet effectively occluded arterial blood flow with success rates higher than 75% in both the upper and lower extremities. The Cargo-strap was the fastest to apply, taking（7.22=k2.30） s for the upper extremity and （6.48：k2.40） s for the lower extremity. The rubber tube was the most painful, and the improvised tourniquet was the least efficient. The success rates were higher in the lower extremity than in the upper extremity （P〈0.05, X^2=5.714）, Conclusions： The bladder tourniquet and the windlass tourniquet are efficient tourniquets, although the windlass is superior with respect to portability and pain. The Cargo-strap and rubber tourniquets have several disadvantages that reduce their suitability for field use. The improvised tourniquet is not recommended because of low efficiency and severe pain during implementation.

Foot and ankle surgery:Tourniquet placement site to cause as little postoperative pain as possible

There is controversy in the literature on where to place the tourniquet(thigh,calf,ankle)for foot and ankle surgery.While some authors prefer the ankle tourniquet to the calf tourniquet,others state that the surgeon can decide between using the thigh tourniquet or the ankle tourniquet,since there was no difference in postoperative pain between them.Where to place the tourniquet during foot and ankle surgery to cause the least possible postoperative pain to the patient as a result of the tourniquet is a common question in clinical practice.The reality is that,unfortunately,there is no consensus on this issue.Perhaps the only possible way to answer this question would be to conduct a comparative study with sufficient statistical power to reach scientifically sound conclusions.It does not seem easy to carry out such a study,but it would be important to be able to answer the question posed in the title of this Editorial once and for all.

Polymyomectomy during Cesarean Section at the University Hospital Center of Brazzaville (Congo): About a Case and Review of the Literature

Introduction: Myomectomy during cesarean section has long been a controversial subject. The increased risk of intraoperative hemorrhage and potential hysterectomy has led many teams to contraindicate it, postponing it three to six months after delivery, thus giving more time for uterine involution, myoma shrinkage and reducing operative time and blood loss. Clinical Observation: We report the case of a polymyomectomy after use of a segmental tourniquet and bilateral ligation of the hypogastric arteries during a cesarean section for hemorrhagic placenta previa at the end of a spontaneous pregnancy of 28 weeks of amenorrhea in a 42-year-old nulliparous primigravida patient. Conclusion: Polymyomectomy during cesarean section is possible and requires knowledge of preventive hemostasis techniques and surgical experience.

The Effect of Uterine Artery Occlusion with Tourniquet on Ovarian Reserve during Open Myomectomy at a University Teaching Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Background: The most common surgical treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids, particularly in women with fertility concerns, is open myomectomy. Given the high vascularity of the uterus, haemorrhage during the procedure is a serious risk that is often mitigated with a uterine tourniquet. Aim and Objectives: To evaluate the effect of uterine artery occlusion with a tourniquet during open myomectomy on ovarian reserve using serial anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) measurements. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study with a quasi-experimental design and a convenient sampling technique. The study enrolled 47 women who had abdominal myomectomy between September 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Blood samples were collected before anaesthesia was administered in theatre, on day two, and three months after open abdominal myomectomy for anti-Mullerian hormone assay. The data was collected using a semi-structured proforma, entered into an Excel spreadsheet, and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 with a 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The pre-surgery AMH mean value was 1.67 ± 1.44 ng/ml, while the values after using a uterine tourniquet at myomectomy on the second day and three months later were 1.22 ± 1.24 ng/ml and 1.59 ± 1.43 ng/ml, respectively. There was no statistically significant change in AMH levels, and there was no statistically significant relationship between blood loss and tourniquet time and AMH after open abdominal myomectomy. Conclusion: The use of a uterine tourniquet and blood loss during open myomectomy has no effect on ovarian reserve.

Perioperative blood management strategies for patients undergoing total knee replacement:Where do we stand now?

Total knee replacement(TKR) is one of the most common surgeries over the last decade. Patients undergoing TKR are at high risk for postoperative anemia and furthermore for allogeneic blood transfusions(ABT). Complications associated with ABT including chills, rigor, fever, dyspnea, light-headedness should be early recognized in order to lead to a better prognosis. Therefore, perioperative blood management program should be adopted with main aim to reduce the risk of blood transfusion while maximizing hemoglobin simultaneously. Many blood conservation strategies have been attempted including preoperative autologous blood donation, acute normovolemic haemodilution, autologous blood transfusion, intraoperative cell saver, drain clamping, pneumatic tourniquet application, and the use of tranexamic acid. For practical and clinical reasons we will try to classify these strategies in three main stages/pillars: Pre-operative optimization, intra-operative and post-operative protocols. The aim of this work is review the strategies currently in use and reports our experience regarding the perioperative blood management strategies in TKR.

Common controversies in total knee replacement surgery: Current evidence

Total knee replacement(TKR) is a widely used operation that has radically improved the quality of life of millions of people during the last few decades. However, some technical details, concerning the surgical procedure and the rehabilitation following total knee arthroplasty, are still a matter of a strong debate. In this review of the literature, we have included the best evidence available of the last decade, in an effort to shed light on some of the most controversial subjects related to TKR surgery. Posterior-stabilized or cruciate-retaining prosthesis? To use a tourniquet during operation or not? Do patients need continuous passive motion for their post-surgery rehabilitation? To resurface patella or not? These are some of the most controversial topics that until now have been persistent dilemmas for the orthopedic surgeon. Results of this systematic review of the literature are highly controversial. These conflicting results are an indication that larger and more well conducted high quality trials are needed in order to gain more secure answers. At the same time, it is becoming apparent that a meticulous operative technique, respecting the soft tissue envelope and knowing the principles of alignment and soft tissue balancing, aresome of the parameters that might contribute more to achieving the optimal results for the patients.

The penile tourniquet

Tourniquets are commonly used in penile surgery to achieve a bloodless operating field or produce artificial erections intraoperatively. Several techniques have been described, but there is a paucity of data and a lack of guidelines to direct their safe use. In penile surgery, it is the local rather than systemic effects of tourniquet use that are the main concern. Tourniquet time should be kept to a minimum, as the limited data available suggests that reperfusion injury can occur even after short periods of ischaemia. High risk groups such as diabetics and arteriopaths are at particular risk. Further studies are needed to determine safe tourniquet times and pressures.

Application of Abdominal Aortic Balloon Occlusion Combined with Tourniquet in Pregnant Women with Severe Placenta Accreta Spectrum

Objective Abdominal aortic balloon occlusion(AABO)is a vascular intervention method that has been widely used in the treatment of severe placenta accreta spectrum(PAS).The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits,potential risks,and characteristics of AABO combined with tourniquet binding of the lower uterine segment(LUS)in treatment of pregnant women with PAS.Methods In this study,64 pregnant women with PAS scores greater than 5 were enrolled as research subjects and divided into two groups.Group A(n=34)underwent normal operative procedures including tourniquet binding of the LUS.Group B(n=30)underwent AABO combined with tourniquet binding of the LUS.General clinical characteristics,ultrasonography PAS score,intraoperative blood loss(IBL),blood loss within 24 h after surgery(24-h BL),postoperative complications,and neonatal data of the two groups were retrospectively reviewed.The influencing factors of IBL for the two groups were analyzed.Results The amounts of IBL,24-h BL,total input red blood cell,and the incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation were significantly lower in group B than in group A(P<0.05),and this difference was even more significant in the subgroup of placenta percreta(PAS scores≥10).Further multivariate linear analysis showed that the combined therapy of AABO and tourniquet could independently predict lower IBL than normal operative procedures did(P=0.001).Conclusion AABO combined with tourniquet binding of the LUS could improve the outcomes of pregnant women with severe PAS and reduce serious peripartum complications of AABO.

Fatal rhabdomyolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation after total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia:A case report

BACKGROUND Rhabdomyolysis develops as a result of skeletal muscle cell collapse from leakage of the intracellular contents into circulation.In severe cases,it can be associated with acute kidney injury and disseminated intravascular coagulation,leading to life threatening outcomes.Rhabdomyolysis can occur in the perioperative period from various etiologies but is rarely induced by tourniquet use during orthopedic surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 77-year-old male underwent right total knee arthroplasty using a tourniquet under spinal anesthesia.About 24 h after surgery,he was found in a drowsy mental state and manifested features of severe rhabdomyolysis,including fever,hypotension,oliguria,high creatine kinase,myoglobinuria,and disseminated intravascular coagulation.Despite supportive care,cardiac arrest developed abruptly,and the patient was not able to be resuscitated.CONCLUSION Severe rhabdomyolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation can develop from surgical tourniquet,requiring prompt,aggressive treatments to save the patient.

A Review of Methods to Control Bleeding from Life-Threatening Traumatic Wounds

The large selection of techniques and modalities for field treatment of the bleeding wound may appear as a potpourri of arbitrarily introduced devices. Nevertheless, if we analyze the various offered solutions systematically in an orderly approach, they can be differentiated into set categories. It is necessary to recognize the pros and cons of each available product in order to decide when and where each is the most applicable for any given clinical scenario. Identification, development and evaluation of new products and technologies capable of stopping life threatening hemorrhage are still ongoing. Despite paucity of research on this topic recently more and more information has accumulated to assist in supporting those techniques of superior efficacy. The objective of this review is to guide the reader through the diverse products according to mechanism of action and expose the important literature relevant to this topic. Justification is found for use of each of the categories: tourniquets, hemostatic agents and compression dressings however close scrutiny is needed to select the most appropriate choice in each group. Hopefully, continuing appraisal of these devices together with the growing experience of trauma teams and combat medics can assist to establish the superior products in each class for the benefit of all casualties and trauma victims.

Association between tourniquet use and intraoperative blood loss during below-knee amputation

BACKGROUND Despite over 150000 amputations of lower limbs annually,there remains a wide variation in tourniquet practice patterns and no consensus on their necessity,especially among orthopedic patient populations.The purpose of this study was to determine whether tourniquet use in orthopedic patients undergoing below knee amputation(BKA) was associated with a difference in calculated blood loss relative to no tourniquet use.AIM To determine if tourniquet use in orthopedic patients undergoing BKA was associated with a difference in calculated blood loss relative to no tourniquet use.METHODS We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing BKA by orthopedic surgeons at a tertiary care hospital from 2008 through 2018.Blood loss was calculated using a combination of the Nadler equation for preoperative blood volume and a novel formula utilizing preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels and transfusions.Univariate and forwards step-wise multivariate linear regressions were performed to determine the association between tourniquet use and blood loss.A Wilcoxon was used to determine the univariate relationship between tourniquet use and blood loss for in the restricted subgroups of patients who underwent BKA for trauma,tumor,and infection.RESULTS Of 97 eligible patients identified,67 underwent surgery with a tourniquet and 30 did not.In multivariate regression,tourniquet use was associated with a 488 mL decrease in calculated blood loss(CI 119-857,P = 0.01).In subgroup analysis,no individual group showed a statistically significant decrease in blood loss with tourniquet use.There was no significant association between tourniquet use and either postoperative transfusions or reoperation at one year.CONCLUSION We found that tourniquet use during BKA is associated with decreased calculated intraoperative blood loss.We recommend that surgeons performing this procedure use a tourniquet to minimize blood loss.

The Effect of Different Regional Blocks: Combined Femoral-Sciatic, Spinal and Epidural Blocks on the Different Side Effects of Arterial Tourniquet in Patients Undergoing Lower Limb Orthopedic Surgeries —A Randomized Controlled Trail

Background: Pneumatic arterial tourniquet is a very commonly used technique in limb surgeries to provide bloodless field to facilitate dissection and decrease blood loss. However, arterial tourniquet has many deleterious effects including hemodynamic changes, serum lactate and potassium level changes and tourniquet-induced pain which sometimes can be severe and intolerable. Aim of the study: To evaluate the effect of different regional blocks: femoral-sciatic, spinal and epidural blocks on serum lactate and potassium levels and the degree of arterial tourniquet-induced pain in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgeries. Methods: 60 patients underwent lower limb orthopedic surgery with application of tourniquet for duration not more than 90 minutes. Patients were assigned randomly to one of three groups (20 each) Group I had sciatic-femoral block, Group II: patients had spinal anesthesia and Group III: patients had epidural anesthesia. Intraoperative hemodynamics, changes in serum potassium and lactate levels and tourniquet pain after tourniquet inflation & deflation, were recorded. Results: There was no statistically significant difference among the three groups regarding tourniquet pain after tourniquet inflation (p = 0.872) and deflation (p = 0.902), and regarding serum levels changes of potassium (p = 0.067) and lactate (p = 0.051). However, each group showed statistically significant increase in post deflation tourniquet pain (p = 0.003, 0.002, 0.003, in groups F, S, E respectively) and serum potassium (p = 0.004, 0.006, 0.000, in groups F, S, E respectively) and lactate levels (p = 0.004, 0.000, 0.000, in groups F, S, E respectively) when compared to the pre-deflation values, and the increase was directly proportional to the duration of tourniquet. Conclusion: the three different types of anesthesia (femoral-sciatic, spinal and epidural block) have the same effect on serum lactate and potassium levels and the degree of tourniquet pain, which were related to the duration of tourniquet inflation.

Hair thread tourniquet syndrome in a toe of an 18 mo old girl

Hair thread tourniquet syndrome is rare and usually affects little children. If the tourniquet is not incised, the affected body part becomes ischemic or even necrotic. An 18 mo old girl was seen in the emergency ward with a painful, red and swollen third toe of the left foot. The toe appeared to be strangulated with a hair, and the diagnosis hair thread tourniquet syndrome was made. After incision of the hair tourniquet the symptoms soon subsided. The diagnosis is easily made if the clinical features are recognized. However, if thetourniquet is not cut through, the affected body part may become ischemic and even necrotic.

Snapping wrist due to bony prominence and tenosynovitis of the first extensor compartment:A case report

BACKGROUND A snapping wrist is a rare symptom that results from the sudden impingement of one anatomic structure against another,subsequently causing a sudden movement only during wrist movement.CASE SUMMARY A 30-year-old woman with a history of right wrist contusion reported right wrist snapping after overuse.The snapping became symptomatic after moving heavy objects.The pain persisted even when she received 1 mo of conservative treatment.Physical examination showed painful wrist snapping during wrist radioulnar motion and thumb abduction-adduction.Radiography demonstrated bone overgrowth over the radial styloid process.Sonography disclosed a tendon jumping over a bony prominence in the first compartment during wrist motion.Magnetic resonance imaging revealed no anomalous tendon nor tumorlike lesion.Under the wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet(WALANT)technique,the lesion was identified in the first extensor compartment.The patient received stepwise extensor retinaculum release,synovectomy,and bone spur removal.By 6th week,the patient was completely free of pain and unable to snap her wrist.She started working 7 wk after the surgery.One year after the surgery,the wrist snap was not recurrent.CONCLUSION Careful physical examination and dynamic sonography may confirm the diagnosis of a snapping wrist.With the WALANT technique,the lesion could be identified under direct vision,and we could take stepwise interventions according to intraoperative presentations.

Uterine Reperfusion Ischemia and Use of Elastic Tourniquet

Introduction: In humans, it has not been established that the use of elastic tourniquet (ET) during myomectomies, whose delivery times do not exceed 90 minutes, which is responsible for ischemia reperfusion (I/R) systemic. Objectives: To study the plasma variations of markers of I/R during myomectomies performed with ET, whose exposure time does not exceed 90 minutes. Population and methods: Plasma créatinin phosphokinase kinase (CPK) and gluthatione peroxydase (GPX) levels of patients with ET myoma (M + G +, n = 19), taken before, during and after exposure, were compared to those of women operated on myoma without tourniquet (M + G -, n = 15), carriers of unoperated myomas (M + G0, n = 20) and controls (M0G0, n = 18). The duration of exposure of the ET was determined, and perioperative variations of GPX, Ca2+, K+ and CPK between M + G + and others groups were analyzed (p Results: The average duration of exposure of the ET was 51.56 ± 14.12 [30 - 88] min. In M + G +, prior to insertion, CPK was 71.64, GPX 3.537, Ca2+ 3.000, K+ 3.934, and did not vary from those of M + G - (CPK = 59.354, GPX = 3.205, Ca2+ = 2.525, K+ = 3.788), M + G0 (CPK = 71.640, GPX = 2.759, Ca2+ = 3.004, K+ = 3.934) and M0G0 (CPK = 57.2, GPX = 2.306, Ca2+ = 2.879, K+ = 3.705). Conversely, during the posture (CPK = 95.665, GPX = 3.645, Ca2+ = 3.642, K+ = 4.757) and after the release of the ET (CPK = 135.443, GPX = 3.694, Ca2+ = 3.892, K+ = 5.322), these rates were higher among the M + G + compared to the M + G0 and M0G0, but did not differ from those of the M + G - during (CPK = 91.270, GPX = 3.413, Ca2+ = 3.068, K+ = 4.257) and after release (CPK = 137.776, GPX = 3.632, Ca2+ = 3.148, K+ = 5.075). Conclusion: The plasmatic concentration of ischemia (CPK, K+) and reperfusion (GPX, Ca2+) biomarkers does not differ between M + G + and M + G -, but is elevated relatively to controls (M0G0), but also to M + G0’s group. These results show that, for exposure times not exceeding 90 minutes, the elastic tourniquet is probably not the cause of the increase in plasma I/R markers observed in M + G + women. Moreover, these data suggest that the variations of the markers observed during the different surgical stages within each of the two groups of women M + G + and M + G - compared to those of the controls (M0G0) and unoperated myomas (M + G0) are due essentially to the surgical act.

Contribution of the Tourniquet in the Prevention of Haemorrhages during Myomectomies at the University Hospital of Brazzaville

Objective: To check the effectiveness of tourniquet in the prevention of haemorrhage during myomectomies at the University Hospital of Brazzaville. Patients and methods: Analytical cross-sectional study, conducted at the University Hospital of Brazzaville from June 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016. Recruitment was performed by randomly matching each case of myomectomy performed using a tourniquet with two cases of myomectomy without tourniquet (50 cases vs 100 witnesses). We used as a tourniquet, the surgical glove knotted and tightened sufficiently at the level of the isthmus of the uterus to temporarily occlude the uterine arteries to ensure haemostasis lasting no more than one hour. Results: The mean age of the patients was similar in both groups (36, 1 ± 2.2 years vs 36.2 ± 1.9 years, P > 0.05). Menorrhagia was the most common indication of myomectomy in both groups (76% vs. 78% P > 0.05). The mean haemoglobin level of the patients before the myomectomies was 9.03 ± 1.10 g/dl vs 9, 75 ± 1.29 g/dl;P > 0.05. Intraoperative uterine features were similar in size (18 weeks gestation, 14 - 24) and number of myomas (5 vs 4, P > 0.05) in both groups. Polymyomectomy was more common in both groups (76% vs 73%, P > 0.05). Blood loss was reduced in the tourniquet group (90.5 ± 4.6 ml vs 200.4 ± 5.6 ml;P 0.05), as well as the use of blood transfusion (8% vs 50%, P 0.05). Use of the number of sutures was reduced in the group with tourniquet (3 ± 0.2 vs 6 ± 0.2 P 0.05). The duration of the procedure was shorter in the group with tourniquet (51.5 ± 4 min vs 83 ± 7 min, P 0.05). Postoperative mean haemoglobin of patients was no different between the two groups (9.4 ± 0.7 g/dl vs 9.2 ± 0.5, P > 0.05). The overall cost of management was reduced in the group with tourniquet (190,680 ± 1450 F CFA vs 256,800 ± 2350 FCFA;P 0.05). Conclusion: The use of tourniquet during myomectomies significantly reduces blood loss and the use of blood transfusion. We also obtain the notorious reduction in the use of sutures, the duration of interventions, and the overall cost of care. Thus, we encourage the systematic use of tourniquet during myomectomies by laparotomy.