tourniquet: reduced blood loss and improved cosmesis - Europe PMC

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bruising and a less than perfect result. The use of an Esmarch tourniquet to control haemor- rhage during varicose vein surgery has been described. (4), and ...
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1990) vol. 72, 119-122

Varicose vein surgery using a pneumatic tourniquet: reduced blood loss and improved cosmesis J F Thompson MB FRCS

A Najmaldin

Registrar

Registrar

G T Royle MS FRCS

P C Clifford

Senior Lecturer in Surgery

Senior Registrar

P A Farrands DM FRCS

J H H Webster

Senior Registrar

Consultant Surgeon

FRCS MD FRCS*

MCh FRCS

Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton

Key words: Varicose veins, tourniquet

A prospective controlied randomised study has been per. formed of 100 consecutive patients undergoing varicose vein surgery. One group underwent saphenofemoral flush ligation and multiple lower leg avulsions with the leg exsanguinated with a Rhys-Davies cuff, and ischaemia maintained with a pneumatic tourniquet. The other group underwent identical surgery but with a 300 head down tilt only. Blood loss was significantly less (13.5±12 ml vs 133 ± 78 ml; P