Is lower tourniquet pressure during total knee arthroplasty effective? A prospective randomized controlled trial

160 patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a low pressure tourniquet or standard pressure tourniquet for the maintenance of a bloodless surgical field during total knee arthroplasty. The primary outcome of interest was the maintenance of a bloodless surgical field. Secondary outcomes of interest included the level of hemoglobin drop, drainage volume, calculated blood loss, pain in the thigh and knee (measured on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Likert scale), and the incidence of adverse events. Results revealed no significant differences between the low pressure and standard pressure groups in all outcomes.