Ischaemic preconditioning attenuates haemodynamic response and lipid peroxidation during lower-extremity surgery with unilateral tourniquet application.

The goal of this study is to report our experience with the use of suction drainage for various arthroscopic knee procedures. One hundred and ninety patients who underwent arthroscopic knee procedures participated in the study, and were divided into two groups (Group 1: Suction drainage, Group 2: No suction drainage). For every patient, the following parameters were recorded: age, gender, operative time, tourniquet or pump use, the amount of fluid collected in the hemovac drain, presence of meniscal tear, type of the operative procedure, date of the operation, and presence of effusion at the follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed to detect any significant statistical difference between the amount of fluid collected in the hemovac drain and the other mentioned parameters in Group 1; and these patients were divided into four subgroups to facilitate the statistical evaluation between the procedures and the amount of fluid collected in the hemovac drain. The partial meniscectomy subgroup had significantly lower amounts of collected fluid when compared to the subtotal meniscectomy subgroup. Drilling of the osteochondral faces led to significantly higher amounts of fluid when compared to non-drilling cases. Use of an infusion pump during surgery and shorter operation time led to lower amounts of fluid to be collected. No case in either main group suffered from effusion at the follow-up. Our investigation demonstrated that in different arthroscopic interventions, variable amounts of fluid can be collected in the hemovac drains. Subtotal meniscal resection, drilling of the osteochondral faces and longer duration of the operation increase the amount of fluid. In cases of partial meniscal resection and/or chondral debridement, limited synovial and plica resection, suction drainage is unnecessary.

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In the operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures the radial nerve may be injured during the reduction of fracture fragments or the application of plate and screws. Also, secondary surgical explorations due to delayed or non-union carry a high risk of radial nerve injury because of the scarring of the neighboring tissue and proximity of the nerve to the implants. Consequently, the need for the transposition of the radial nerve to a safer position arises. A total of 22 (11 right, 11 left) cadaveric upper extremities were studied to evaluate the medial transposition of the radial nerve during the open reduction and anterolateral plate fixation of humeral fractures. The radial nerve was transposed medially in a distal plate fixated humeral fracture model. Distance measurements of the radial nerve and the division points of its branches were carried out in the transposed position and in the original course of the nerve. There was no statistically significant difference between the original course and medially transposed measurements. The distances from the reference point to the division points of other branches (posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve, motor branch to brachioradialis, most distal motor branch to triceps) were not altered. The mean length of the radial nerve was 185.2 +/- 14.3 mm in its original course and 183.7 +/- 13.8 mm in the medially transposed course. In conclusion, the present study shows that medial transposition of the radial nerve through the fracture line does not increase the nerve's length and may be utilized in cases in which anterolateral plate fixation is indicated.

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