Anterior knee dislocation with ipsilateral open tibial shaft fracture: a 5-year clinical follow-up of a professional athlete

Abstract

Traumatic dislocation of the knee joint is an uncommon complex, multiple ligamentous injury resulting from a high-energy trauma. Significant lack of functions can be seen because of both early and late complications of these injuries such as popliteal artery disruption, peroneal nerve injury, persistent instability and posttraumatic arthritis. Therefore, the emergency surgery is necessary due to possibility of neurovascular compromise and limb loss. Controversies over operative versus closed immobilization of traumatic complex, multiple ligamentous knee injury are still debated. We report a case of traumatic anterior dislocation of the right knee with an ipsilateral tibial shaft fracture in association with right popliteal artery occlusion of a professional athlete who was returned to his sports activity by surgical treated tibia fracture and conservative treatment of the knee dislocation.