Pneumatic tourniquets are used in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for surgical field visualization and improved cementation; however, their use is controversial. This study aimed to assess the effects of tourniquet application on enhanced recovery post-TKA.
A prospective randomized single-blinded trial assessed tourniquet's effects on postoperative pain, swelling, and early outcome in TKA. One-hundred and two patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized to full-course (FC) and second half-course (SHC) application (
Average tourniquet duration significantly differed between the SHC (37.5 ± 5.1 min) and FC (66.4 ± 7.2 min) groups (
Improved therapeutic outcome was observed in the SHC group, indicating patients should routinely undergo TKA with SHC tourniquet application.