[Rare Vascular Complication after ACL Reconstruction]

Abstract

The anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is currently one of the most commonly performed arthroscopic procedures of knee joint. Overall, it is a reliable and sophisticated procedure associated with a relatively low complication rate. In the available literature, less severe complications are reported in 3-7% of cases. The most frequent complications are intractable pain not manageable using analgesic therapy (6.7%), hemarthrosis requiring puncture (4.4%), fever (3.2%) and other complications related in particular to immobilisation (1.2%). The percentage of severe complications is very low (less than 1%). These include deep vein thrombosis (0.6%), cellulitis (0.6%) and infectious complications requiring arthroscopic or surgical revision (0.3%). Vascular injuries around the knee joint are rare and are described in case studies only. The authors present a patient with reduced mobility of the knee and significant pain, haematoma and swelling in the calf, which developed within a short time span after the reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament. It was caused by bleeding into the medial gastrocnemius muscle. This rare vascular complication was diagnosed angiographically and coiling was used to stop the arterial bleeding, once deep vein thrombosis, congenital haemostasis, gonitis and compartment syndrome were excluded. Key words: ACL reconstruction, angiography, anterior cruciate ligament, arthroscopy, inferior medial genicular artery, vascular complications.