Reduced bleeding through temporary balloon occlusion in hip and knee revision surgery

We used temporary balloon occlusion of the iliac or femoral artery to reduce blood loss in major hip or knee operations in 15 cases in 13 patients. The balloon was introduced by an interventional radiologist in the afternoon of the day before surgery or in the morning before. A latex occlusion balloon was inserted via the transfemoral ipsi- or contralateral route. The patients received two 40 mg doses of low molecular weight heparin. At the beginning of the operation, saline was injected into the predetermined volume to inflate the balloon. The balloons were inflated during 1-6 hours. In each case, the balloon occlusion clearly reduced bleeding in the surgical field and facilitated surgery. The perioperative bleeding was reduced by half, as compared to a retrospective control group. We measured the intraarterial blood pressures distally to the balloon in 2 patients. They decreased from 120 to 40 mm Hg and 155 to 50 mm Hg, respectively, after inflation. Two complications occurred, one bleeding due to catheter dislocation the night before surgery and one postoperative necrosis of the tip of a toe in a patient in whom the deflated balloon was not extruded until the day after surgery and the dose of heparin was too low.