Knee dislocation

Background

• Popliteal artery injury occurs in ~25% of cases
  • neurologic injury/deficit may indicate vascular injury
• Spontaneous reduction occurs in up to 50% of dislocations; often occurs prior to ED arrival
• Types
  • Anterior (40%)
    • hyperextension mechanism
    • often involves PCL, ACL and either medial or lateral ligs are injured
  • Posterior (33%)
    • popliteal artery often injured
    • dash board injury
  • Lateral (18%)
  • Medial (4%)

Signs

• Suggestive by severely injured knee that is unstable in multiple directions
• lateral collateral ligament injured with peroneal nerve palsy = knee dislocation

Management

• Reduce immediately
  • Apply longitudinal traction
  • Splint in 20 degrees of flexion
• Vascular assessment
  • Assess popliteal and distal pulses
  • Measure ABIs
    • ABI >0.9 - serial exams
    • ABI <0.9 - arterial duplexes or CT angio
  • no pulses: reduce immediately
  • no pulses post reduction: surgical exploration
    • ischemia time >8 hours has amputation rates as high as 86%
• Neurological assessment
  • Peroneal nerve most commonly injured
    • Test for sensation in 1st dorsal web space, dorsiflexion of foot, extension of toes

Complications

• nerve injury
  • common peroneal nerve injury (25%)
    • Test for sensation in 1st dorsal web space, dorsiflexion of foot, extension of toes
  • tibial nerve injured less often
• fractures
  • femur and tibia most common
  • check hip and ankle joints for associated fx
  • avulsion fractures common
• compartment syndrome risk high with vascular compromise

Disposition

• Institution will dictation admission process
  • Suggested algorithm
    • If: Strong pulses + ABI >0.9 + normal u/s = admit for obs and serial vasc exams
    • If: Good profusion + asymmetric pulses or ABI <0.9 or abn U/S = consult vascular surgery + obtain CTA
    • If: Weak pulses or signs of ischemia = emergent vascular surgery consult and OR
• Consider trauma consult depending on mechanism and additional injuries

Source

• Tintinalli
• UpToDate
• Review of Orthopaedics, 6th Edition, Mark D. Miller MD, Stephen R. Thompson MBBS MEd FRCSC, Jennifer Hart MPAS PA-C ATC, an imprint of Elsevier, Philadelphia, Copyright 2012
• AAOS Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review, Jay R. Leiberman. Published by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rosemont IL. Copyright 2009
• Levy BA, Fanelli GC, Whelan DB, Stannard JP, MacDonald PA, Boyd JL, Marx RG, Stuart MJ. Knee Dislocation Study Group. Controversies in the treatment of knee dislocations and multiligament reconstruction. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2009 Apr;17(4):197-206. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19307669

See Also

• Knee (Main)