Clinical Experience in Forearm Tourniquet Use
Rattalerk Arunakul MD*, Sunyarn Niempoog MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
Objective : To assess the efficacy and complications of forearm tourniquet application in minor hand and wrist surgeries those
use local anesthesia
Material and Method: A series of ninety-three patients underwent various kinds of hand and wrist surgery using forearm
tourniquet performed by senior author (SN) at Thammasat University hospital in the last 5 years was collected. The
tourniquet was applied at proximal forearm with 250 mm Hg pressure. The surgical tourniquet time tolerated by the patients,
postoperative complications, and effectiveness for the surgeon to perform the surgery were collected and analyzed.
Results : The forearm tourniquet provided bloodless field in all operations. All patients could tolerate forearm tourniquet up
to 80 minutes (average 27 minutes). None of the patients had complications related to tourniquet uses after surgery.
Conclusion : Using forearm tourniquet in minor hand and wrist surgery is effective, helpful, and safe.
Keywords : Forearm tourniquet, Hand and wrist surgery
