Objective: To compare the postoperative blood loss in total knee arthroplasty with and without perioperative tourniquet release.

Study Design: Randomized control trial

Place & Duration of Study: Department of Orthopaedic, M. Islam Teaching Hospital Gujranwala 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020.

Methodology: Ninety patients of both genders undergoing total knee arthroplasty were included in this study. Patient’s demographics were recorded after written consent. Patients were equally divided into two groups. Group A (45 patients) received total knee arthroplasty with tourniquet while group B (45 patients) received total knee arthroplasty without tourniquet. Postoperative blood loss was measured by suction drain, levels of haemoglobin were examined and compare between two groups.

Results: The mean age of the patients in group A was 57.76±2.4 years while in group B it was 58.16±7.8 years. 32 (71.11%) and 34 (75.56%) were males while 13 (28.89%) and 11 (24.44%) were females in group A and B. We observed patients at the three different points and found lower blood loss in patients who received total knee arthroplasty with tourniquet as compared to no tourniquet group (p-value <0.05). No significant difference was observed regarding hemoglobin at 2 hours and significant differences were observed at 24 and 48 hour postoperatively.

Conclusion: Tourniquet is useful to decrease loss of blood in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

Keywords: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA), Tourniquet, Blood loss