[The application of a new type of sterile elastic exsanguination tourniquet in aspiration surgery for upper limb lymphedema].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a new type of sterile elastic exsanguination tourniquet (SEET) in aspiration surgery for upper limb lymphedema. Methods: The clinical data of 159 patients who underwent aspiration surgery for upper limb lymphedema from January 2017 to June 2022 in the Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 54 patients were treated with SEET (SEET group), while 105 patients were not treated with SEET (No-SEET group). The propensity score matching method was used, and the surgical indicators and complications were compared between the two groups. The factors affecting intraoperative bleeding volume were analyzed through multiple linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 49 pairs of patients were successfully matched by the propensity score method. The age of patients in the SEET and No-SEET groups was (57.7±8.9) years and (56.8±9.1) years, respectively. Compared with the Non-SEET group, the SEET group had less bleeding volume [(311±164) ml vs (437±173) ml, P<0.001]. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the factors affecting intraoperative bleeding volume included age (β=-0.142, P=0.041), using the SEET (β=-0.249, P=0.002), surgical time (β=0.195, P=0.010) and the amount of fat mixture sucked out (β=0.464, P<0.001). Conclusions: The clinical application of the SEET in aspiration surgery for upper limb lymphedema is safe, and can significantly reduce the bleeding volume and alleviate blood shortage.