Traumatic Knee Dislocation and Popliteal Artery Injury: A Case Series

Abstract

Popliteal artery injury is a potentially limb-threatening complication of traumatic knee dislocation. We describe 2 such cases that had been treated in our unit over the last decade. The first one was a 23-year-old woman who injured her right knee during a long jump competition, and the second was a 27-year-old man who had a motorbike accident. Both suffered traumatic knee dislocation along with significant ligament and neurovascular injuries. In the first patient, the popliteal artery was found thrombosed due to intimal rupture and required thrombectomy and vein patch repair, whereas in the second patient, the artery was completely transected and required end-to-end anastomosis. Both limbs were successfully revascularized and required subsequent orthopedic procedures to stabilize the knee joint. Traumatic knee dislocations are rare injuries that may be associated with potentially devastating vascular complications. A prompt diagnosis and timely arterial repair is of paramount importance if limb salvage is to be achieved.