The pumping lavage system(PLS), a lavage technique for the upper joint cavity, cleans inside the upper joint cavity by repeated pressurized injection and aspiration of physiological saline through a single puncture. With existing PLS methods, the surgeon uses a syringe to inject physiological saline into the upper joint cavity based on tactile sensations at the fingertips, and as a result, pressure inside the upper joint cavity could potentially build up. In addition to this risk, the lavage procedures themselves are complicated. We have been obtaining favorable results using a pressurized bag with PLS to directly inject physiological saline from a transfusion bottle. When a pressurized bag is used with PLS, physiologcal saline can be injected at a specific pressure, thus partially simplifying the lavage procedure and improving the safety aspect. The efficacy of PLS using a pressurized bag was 81.3%.
