Purpose

To determine if the use of thigh-high compression stockings could decrease the incidence of cerebral desaturation events (CDEs) in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m(2) or greater undergoing shoulder arthroscopy in the beach-chair position (BCP).

Methods

Between December 2013 and May 2014, 23 patients aged 18 years or older with a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or greater undergoing shoulder arthroscopy in the BCP were monitored intraoperatively using near-infrared spectroscopy while wearing thigh-high compression stockings. Data obtained on these patients were compared with data from a previous cohort at our institution comprising 24 patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or greater who underwent elective shoulder arthroscopy in the BCP with the same monitoring but without wearing compression stockings. The incidence of CDEs was identified in each group.

Results

The incidence of CDEs in the group with compression stockings was 4% (1 of 23) compared with 18% (7 of 24) in the group without compression stockings (P = .048). There were no statistically significant differences in mean age (53.0 years v 53.3 years, P = .91), mean BMI (34.5 kg/m(2)v 36.2 kg/m(2), P = .21), or various medical comorbidities between the treatment group and control group. There was a significant difference in the operative time between the treatment group (156.6 minutes) and control group (94.1 minutes) (P < .001).

Conclusions

The use of thigh-high compression stockings may decrease the incidence of CDEs in obese patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy in the BCP.

Level of evidence

Level IV, therapeutic case series.