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J Knee Surg 2020; 33(09): 866-874
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1688555
Original Article

Is It Better to Routinely Use Tourniquet for Knee Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Jinyou Wang
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Jilin University Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
,
Wennan Xu
2   Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
,
Jiayin Lv 
1   Department of Orthopaedics, Jilin University Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Abstract

The use of tourniquet in knee arthroscopic surgery is a routine technique and provides convenience for the operation. However, the adverse effects caused by tourniquet during the operation are noticed by more and more researchers. The purpose of our study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of tourniquet use in knee arthroscopy. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, we searched databases like PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception of the database up to November 20, 2018, using the keywords “ anterior cruciate ligament,” “meniscectomy,” “arthrocopy,” etc. to identify randomized clinical trials. A total of 16 randomized controlled trials involving 1,132 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria with 582 patients in tourniquet group and 550 patients in nontourniquet group. Compared with tourniquet group, nontourniquet group had less postoperative blood loss and less consumption of analgesic. There was no significant difference between the two groups in intraoperatively arthroscopic visualization, postoperative pain score, postoperative quadriceps muscle strength, and operation time. Our study suggested that compared with tourniquet use, arthroscopic surgery of the knee without tourniquet did not appear to have any disadvantage, and the current evidence was more inclined not to use tourniquet as a routine procedure during the knee arthroscopic surgery.

Keywords

knee arthroscopic surgery - tourniquet - randomized controlled trial - meta-analysis


Publication History

Received: 03 January 2019

Accepted: 18 March 2019

Article published online:
07 May 2019

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