Clinical experience in forearm tourniquet use.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and complications of forearm tourniquet application in minor hand and wrist surgeries those use local anesthesia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A series of ninety-three patients underwent various kinds of hand and wrist surgery using forearm tourniquet performed by senior author (SN) at Thammasat University hospital in the last 5 years was collected. The tourniquet was applied at proximal forearm with 250 mm Hg pressure. The surgical tourniquet time tolerated by the patients, postoperative complications, and effectiveness for the surgeon to perform the surgery were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The forearm tourniquet provided bloodless field in all operations. All patients could tolerate forearm tourniquet up to 80 minutes (average 27 minutes). None of the patients had complications related to tourniquet uses after surgery. CONCLUSION: Using forearm tourniquet in minor hand and wrist surgery is effective, helpful, and safe.