The effect of tourniquet use on operative performance and early postoperative results of anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

51 patients scheduled for double-bundle ACL reconstruction were randomized to undergo the procedure with or without the use of an inflated tourniquet, to investigate the clinical and operative outcomes associated with this tool. Results indicated that the use of a tourniquet did not affect operative time, the haemoglobin values, swelling, pain or early function in patients undergoing double-bundle ACL reconstruction. Tourniquet use, however, significantly increased the amount of drained blood from the suction and numbness. Furthermore, surgeons who performed the procedure without a tourniquet did not report any difficulty in attaining a visual field that would require the inflation of the tourniquet.