COMPARISON BETWEEN BELOW KNEE AMPUTATION IN DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT TOURNIQUET

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate blood loss after below knee amputation surgery performed with and without tourniquet, in patients suffering from diabetic foot infection.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental pilot study.

Place and Duration of Study:   Department of General, Thoracic & Paediatric Surgery at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kharian, Pakistan from 10^th April 2024 to 9^th October 2024.

Methodology:  Fifty patients suffering from diabetic foot infection were stratified after utilising a non probability with a subtype of consecutive sampling technique into two groups. 25 patients were allotted in group-A for the application of pneumatic torniquet during below knee amputation operation. Rest 25 patients were placed in group-B as a control group for no application of pneumatic torniquet. Difference in pre-operative and post-operative hemoglobin was evaluated to find out the effect of tourniquet on the outcome of operation.

Results:   Post-operative hemoglobin fall was 1.54 ±1.59 g/dl in group-A and 3.46 ± 1.92 g/dl in group-B. Post-operative blood transfusion requirement was in 8% of the patients in group-A and 72% of the patients in group-B. Median hospital stay of group-A was 3 (1) days and was 5 (1) days for group-B patients. The above-mentioned differences were significant with p-value less than 0.001.

Conclusion: We concluded that pneumatic tourniquet facilitates below knee amputation effectively with respect to peri-operative hemorrhage, post-operative blood transfusion and hospital stay.