The use of a tourniquet when plating tibial fractures

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AU: Salam-AA; Eyres-KS; Cleary-J; el-Sayed-HH SO: J-Bone-Joint-Surg-Br. 1991 Jan; 73(1): 86-7 AB: Sixty closed fractures of the tibia were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws. Half the operations were performed with a thigh tourniquet and half without. In the tourniquet group, there were six cases with erythema and induration of the wound; in the other group there were no such complications. Despite negative bacterial cultures, superficial infection of the inflamed wounds was suspected. It is suggested that a tourniquet may predispose tissues to infection, and its use is not recommended during operations for internal fixation of the tibia.