Tourniquet Use During Knee Replacement Surgery May Contribute to Muscle Atrophy in Older Adults

In Brief Muscle atrophy after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) occurs at a rate of 1% per day for the first 2 wk. Our hypothesis is that tourniquet-induced ischemia-reperfusion injury occurring during TKA influences metabolism and may contribute to atrophy. Identifying pathways that are upregulated during this critical “14-d window” after surgery may help us delineate therapeutic approaches to avoid muscle loss. Tourniquet use during knee replacement surgery in older adults is understood poorly at the cellular level and may contribute to muscle atrophy in this clinical population.