Using the Boazul cuff to reduce blood loss in varicose vein surgery.

OBJECTIVE

this study was designed to assess if the use of a sterile exsanguination tourniquet (Boazul cuff) reduced blood loss from the groin and avulsion wounds during varicose vein surgery, (saphenofemoral disconnection, stripping to knee and multiple avulsions).

DESIGN

prospective, parallel cohort study.

MATERIALS

thirty-eight patients undergoing primary varicose vein surgery.

METHODS

the blood loss and number of avulsion wounds were recorded for each patient.

RESULTS

the tourniquet was used on 21 legs and there were 24 legs in the non-tourniquet group. In the tourniquet group, the median blood loss from the groin was 15 ml, (range 5-70 ml), and from the leg was 5 ml, (range 0-120 ml). The corresponding figures for the group without the tourniquet were a median of 17.5 ml, (range 5-105 ml), and a median of 95 ml, (range 10-505 ml). The mean number of avulsions in the tourniquet group was 25 (range 9-38), and in the non-tourniquet group was 15, (range 5-40). There was significantly less blood loss from the leg in the tourniquet group (p<0.0001) despite the fact that there were more avulsions in the tourniquet group (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

use of the Boazul cuff significantly decreases the blood loss from the avulsion sites during routine varicose vein surgery, and may encourage the surgeon to perform more avulsions.