An Analysis of Functional Outcome and Factors Influencing the Outcome in Floating Knee Injuries

Abstract

Background: The objective of the study is to study the Functional outcome and factors influencing the outcome in Floating Knee Injuries. Methods: The study was conducted on patients in department of orthopaedics in S.C.B medical college & hospital from December 2018 to December 2020 who are admitted with Floating Knee Injuries. Detailed history were obtained using study proforma a thorough musculoskeletal examination of both the knees will be done including neuro-vascular status and appropriate radiographs and if necessary CT scan will be done. Collection of Data of the patients were by brief history of injury, systemic and musculoskeletal examination, radiography of thigh with hip and knee and leg with knee and ankle in standard antero-posterior and Lateral View, follow up with radiological and clinical parameters. Clinical follow-up will be done at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months intervals regarding union of fractured bone, assessment of range of motion of knee, pain on weight bearing. Results: In our study we found males are affected in 33 out of 34 patients (97%), right lower limb was involved in 28 out of 34 patients (82%),majority of the patients were of young age group between 16-40 years (60%),twenty five out of 34 patients (73%) had type I floating knee injury and 9out of 34 (27%) had type II floating knee injury, in most of the cases (70%) surgery was performed within 1 week of trauma. Knee stiffness was more common in older patients, communited fractures, Poor articular reduction. The communited fractures and poor articular reduction correlated significantly with malunion of fractures. Communited fractures were a statistically significant variable for Shortening. Open fractures, communited fractures and segmental fractures are statistically significant for non-union and delayed union. Conclusion: Floating knee injuries are due to high velocity motor vehicle accident. Men are affected more than women. The right-side injury is more frequent than the left side. 55% of patients in this study had an excellent and good functional outcome and 45% of patients had a fair or poor functional outcome. Local complications like wound infection seen in 17.1% of patients A communited fracture is the most common predictor affecting the functional outcomes like Knee stiffness, shortening, and time to union. The other predictors affecting the functional outcomes are poor articular reduction, open fractures, segmental fractures, older age and. The time to union of tibia is more than that of femur. Revision fixation for tibial fractures was more frequent than femoral fractures. Keywords: Floating knee, Knee injury, Functional outcome