HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hennrikus, W. L. Articles by Lapoint, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hennrikus, W. L. Articles by Lapoint, J. M.

Lateral Traction During Shoulder Arthroscopy: Its Effect on Tissue Perfusion Measured by Pulse Oximetry

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical Investigation, Naval Hospital, San Diego, California

Randall C. Mapes, MD

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical Investigation, Naval Hospital, San Diego, California

Michael W. Bratton, MD

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical Investigation, Naval Hospital, San Diego, California

John M. Lapoint, MD

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Clinical Investigation, Naval Hospital, San Diego, California

We studied the effect of three methods of shoulder trac tion during arthroscopy on arterial oxygen saturation measured by a pulse oximeter applied to the fingertip of the arm in traction. Simple longitudinal traction ablated the oxygen saturation in only 1 of 30 patients. Adding vertical traction perpendicular to the arm ablated the oxygen saturation in 25 of 30 patients when a 2-inch wide sling was used and in 7 of 30 patients when a 4-inch sling was used. In this series, the pulse oximeter did not demonstrate gradual gradations in arterial oxy gen saturation loss. Rather, the pulse oximeter provided an all-or-none warning signal for tissue hypoxia.