title: Recanalization of an occluded popliteal artery following posterior knee dislocation.
abstract: Posterior knee dislocation results in popliteal artery injury in up to one-third of cases. Prompt recognition and treatment of arterial injury is essential for limb salvage. We report a case of complete occlusion of the popliteal artery following posterior knee dislocation treated with saphenous vein bypass without exclusion of the injured arterial segment. Follow-up duplex scanning demonstrated a patent vein graft and a patent ipsilateral popliteal artery. This report suggests that, in some instances, a traumatically occluded popliteal artery may recanalize, and that revascularization with a bypass graft may be the preferred method of repair, particularly in young patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-4002, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brophy
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications*; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex