Comparison Of Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty With and Without Tourniquet
J.P.F. Guerreiro, B.P. Dos Santos, J.H. De Souza, L.A. Figueira, P.R. Bignardi, M.V. DanieliObjective:
To compare clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed with and without the use of a tourniquet, focusing on perioperative bleeding, surgical time, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications up to six months postoperatively.
Methods:
This retrospective observational study included all patients who underwent robotic-assisted TKA at a single institution between October 2022 and July 2023. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: tourniquet and non-tourniquet. Key variables analyzed included pre- and postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, estimated blood loss, operative time, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications within six months. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
A total of 108 patients were included, with 59 in the tourniquet group and 49 in the non-tourniquet group. The non-tourniquet group had a significantly shorter hospital stay compared to the tourniquet group (1.90 vs. 2.67 days; p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in hemoglobin drop (2.28 vs. 3.54; p = 0.252), hematocrit drop (6.64 vs. 7.12; p = 0.373), or estimated blood loss (765 mL vs. 842.4 mL; p = 0.265) between groups. Postoperative complication rates were comparable (p > 0.45).
Conclusion:
Robotic-assisted TKA without the use of a tourniquet was associated with a significantly shorter hospital stay, without increasing intraoperative blood loss, operative time, or complication rates.