J Korean Fract Soc.  2000 Jul;13(3):494-500. 10.12671/jksf.2000.13.3.494.

Popliteal Artery Injury Associated with Fracture and/or Dislocation of the Knee

• Yang JY
• Rhee KJ
• Lee JK
• Hwang DS
• Byun KY
• Jeon TS

• KMID: 2307794
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12671/jksf.2000.13.3.494

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare the outcome in patients who have popliteal artery injury associated with fracture and/or dislocation around the knee according to treatment option.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We have reviewed fourteen cases of popliteal artery injury patients associated with fracture and/or dislocation injury around the knee who had visited at Chungnam National University Hospital from April 1997 to July 1999.
RESULTS
Combined skeletal injuries included fracture of distal femur, fracture of proximal tibia, and dislocation of the knee. Internal or external fixation was applied for skeletal injuries. We repaired the injured popliteal artery using end-to-end anastomosis (3 cases), interposed saphenous vein graft (9 cases), prosthetic vein graft (1 case), or thrombectomy alone (1 case). The amputation rate was 21 % (3 out of 14 patients). In limb salvage cases, we evaluated the function of knee joint, and the results were as follows : good 5 cases, fair 3 cases, and poor 3 cases.
CONCLUSION
Early diagnosis and prompt management for injuries of the popliteal artery is the most important factor to save the limb. Also, complete resection of all injured portion of vessel and reconstruction of patency through interposed saphenous vein graft are most useful method.

Keyword

Knee joint; Popliteal artery injury; Fracture; Dislocation; Saphenous vein graft

MeSH Terms

Amputation
Chungcheongnam-do
Dislocations*
Early Diagnosis
Extremities
Femur
Humans
Knee Joint
Knee*
Limb Salvage
Popliteal Artery*
Saphenous Vein
Thrombectomy
Tibia
Transplants
Veins