Complete Traumatic Dislocation of The Knee

Abstract

We treated 4 cases with complete knee dislocation between May 1992 and May 1993. All cases were male and mean age was 34 years. Two cases had open dislocation and one of them had injuries of a., v.poplitea and n.peroneus with fractures of medial temoral condyle, tibial plateau, fibular head and medial malleolus. Two cases were operated on following closed reduction. The other two patients underwent immediate surgery and reduction during operation. The case with vascular injuries underwent reparation of vessels with saphenous graft, but had to be amputated after 3 days. For the other 3 cases the mean follow-up was 11 months (6m-17m). Postoperatively we applied cast splint for the first 3 weeks and then knee brace to the end of 6th month. Isometric exercises were commenced at the 1st post-operative day and partial weight-bearing was permitted 10 days after operation. Normal weight-bearing and extensive knee motion were permitted after the patients begun to use the braces. At the latest follow-up, mean flexion was 120° and mean extension was -5 °. Posterior drawer test was found to be positive in the patient with open dislocation. No instability was detected in the other two patients. According to the Lysholm Knee-Scoring Scale, scores of the patients were 94, 98 and 66, 66 being the result of the case with open dislocation. X-ray examinations of all patients were normal.