A case of ipsilateral floating hip and knee with concomitant arterial injury

Abstract

Ipsilateral fractures of the acetabulum, femur, and tibia are rare. This severe injury is mostly seen in patients with multiple injuries caused by high-energy trauma. We report the management and outcome of a 17-year-old male motorcyclist who struck a car and sustained ipsilateral acetabular, femoral, and tibial fractures associated with arterial injury. The patient was taken to the operating theater nine hours after injury. During surgical exploration it was noted that the popliteal artery was occluded by direct pressure. He was treated with open reduction and plate fixation of the tibial fracture, followed by intramedullary nailing of the femur. Popliteal artery occlusion was spontaneously restored after reduction. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged seven days postoperatively. At five months after injury, the patient was back to school and returned to normal activities with no gait abnormality. Bony union of all the fractures was complete within a two-year follow-up. He felt no pain on walking or running.