2014 AAOS Annual Meeting: Efficacy of Automated Self-Unplugging Sucker Tip: Randomized Control Trial

In 40 total knee arthroplasties (TKA) and 30 total hip arthroplasties (THA), surgeons were randomly instructed to use either the \'super sucker\', the Yankaur sucker, or a new gas-actuated sucker. The purpose of this study was to compare these three approaches with respect to both objective and subjective performance evaluations completed by surgeons. Results indicated that a complete plug of the sucker was reported in 71% of procedures using the \'super sucker\', 47% of procedures using the Yankaur sucker and 0% of procedures using the gas-actuated sucker. Subjective performance scores given by surgeons were higher for the gas-actuated sucker, compared to both the \'super sucker\' and Yankaur sucker.