SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2024
Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with and without tourniquet use: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on clinical outcomes.
Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Unveiling the Clinical Impact of Lower Limb Robotic Devices in Neurorehabilitation: An Umbrella Review.Annals of biomedical engineering · 2026Review
- The Role of Tourniquet Use in Arthroscopic Meniscectomy: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction without tourniquet use reduces joint swelling without compromising surgical outcomes: a retrospective study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Arthroscopy is a viable treatment for a disturbing intracapsular tissue proliferation in a through-the-knee amputee, a case report.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- To Squeeze or Not to Squeeze: A District General Hospital Review of Knee Arthroscopy With and Without Tourniquet.Cureus · 2025Article
- Arthroscopic Anterior Cuciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Neither a Tourniquet nor Drainage: A Perioperative Case Series Report.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe use of a tourniquet is common during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, offering convenience for the surgical procedure. However, the potential adverse effects of tourniquet use have gained increasing attention from clinical researchers. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of tourniquet application versus non-tourniquet approach during arthroscopic ACL reconstruction.
methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, was performed through March 2023 to identify controlled clinical trials. The main outcomes assessed included post-operative drain output, post-operative pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS), operation time, calf girth, and thigh girth. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to account for heterogeneity, with weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) used as pooled estimates for clinical outcomes.
resultsOf the nine potentially related studies, seven eligible studies (sufficient quantitative data) were included in the meta-analysis. Postoperative drain output in the tourniquet group was on average 100 ml higher than in the non-tourniquet group (95% CI: 36 to 168). Pain, measured by the VAS at 24 h postoperatively, was 0.42 points higher in the tourniquet group (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.76), with the increase persisting at 48 h, averaging 0.40 points (95% CI: 0.12 to 0.69). Thigh girth in the tourniquet group was reduced by 1.8 cm (95% CI: -2.7 to -0.94). No significant differences were observed for calf girth and the operation time.
conclusionOur meta-analysis indicates that tourniquet use during arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is associated with higher pain levels, increased postoperative drain output, and reduced thigh girth. However, performing the surgery without a tourniquet does not significantly extend the operation time.
trial registrationThe protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO (CRD42023417604).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.