Open this publication in new window or tab >>2013 (English)In: Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, ISSN 0301-620X, E-ISSN 2044-5377, Vol. 95, no 12, p. 1645-1649Article in journal (Other academic) Published
Abstract [en]
Popliteal artery injury (PAI) is a feared but rare complication during knee arthroplasty (KA). The aim was to study PAI during KA: Type of injury, treatment and outcome.
Thirty-two cases were identified in the national Swedish vascular registry (Swedvasc) and the Swedish Patient Insurance databases. Prospective data from the registries was supplemented with case-records, including long-term follow-up.
Twenty-five injuries (78%) were due to penetrating, seven to blunt trauma. Three different presentations of injury were identified: Bleeding (n=14), ischaemia (n=7) and false aneurysm formation (n=11). Five (16%) cases were during revision KA. Twelve injuries (38%) were detected intraoperatively, eight (25%) within 24 hours (range 3-24) and twelve (38%) >24 hours postoperatively (range 2-90), 28 (88%) were treated with open surgery. Patency at 30 days was 97% (one amputation). Twenty-five (78%) patients had residual symptoms at the end of follow-up (median 546 days, range: 24-1251). Six of the seven patients with complete recovery had an early diagnosis of the PAI during the procedure, and were treated by a vascular surgeon in the same hospital.
Outcome after popliteal artery injury during KA is often negatively affected by diagnostic and therapeutic delay. Bleeding and pseudoaneurysm were the most common clinical presentations.
Keywords
Vascular injury, popliteal artery, knee arthroplasty, complication, adverse event, pseudoaneurysm
National Category
Orthopaedics Surgery
Research subject
Surgery
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-194380 (URN)10.1302/0301-620X.95B12.31611 (DOI)000327788000010 ()24293594 (PubMedID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, K2010-65X-20406-04-3
2013-02-132013-02-132018-01-11Bibliographically approved