Evaluation of a new tourniquet for hand surgery: Comparison of 76 carpal tunnel syndrome cases operated using a Hemaclear(®) Model-F tourniquet versus a pneumatic tourniquet.

The aim of this study was to compare a forearm-specific, sterile, single-use, non-pneumatic tourniquet to a conventional pneumatic tourniquet during carpal tunnel syndrome procedures. Patients with a systolic blood pressure exceeding 160 mmHg were excluded. The study included 76 patients. In 38 patients, surgery was performed with a pneumatic tourniquet on the forearm. In the remaining 38 patients, surgery was performed with a Hemaclear(®) Model-F tourniquet. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of quality of the exsanguination or pain experienced by the patient. The duration of surgery was significantly faster by 30 seconds with the Hemaclear(®) tourniquet but the procedure cost was about €30 more. The forearm-specific Hemaclear(®) tourniquet has several theoretical advantages, but our clinical results do not support these advantages in terms of quality of the surgical exsanguination and pain experienced by the patient. The duration of surgery was significantly shorter, but at the price of a higher surgery cost.