Abstract
Wound ooze is common following Total Knee Arthroplasty and persistent wound ooze is a risk factor for infection, increased length and cost of hospitalisation. We undertook a prospective study to assess the effect of tourniquet time, periarticular local anaesthesia and surgical approach on wound oozing after TKA. The medial parapatellar approach was used in 59 patients (77%) and subvastus in 18 patients (23%). Periarticular local anaesthesia (0.25% Bupivacaine with 1:1000000 adrenalin) was used in 34 patients (44%). The mean tourniquet time was 83 minutes (range 38 to 125 minutes). We found a significant association between cessation of oozing and periarticular local anaesthesia (P = 0.003), length of the tourniquet time (P = 0.03) and the subvastus approach (P = 0.01). Periarticular local anaesthesia, the subvastus approach and shorter tourniquet time were all associated with less wound oozing after total knee arthroplasty.
