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. 2021 Jan-Feb;29(1):17-20.
doi: 10.1590/1413-785220212901230444.

INCIDENCE OF DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS IN FLOATING KNEE

Jonatas Brito DE Alencar  1   2 , Réjelos Charles Aguiar Lira  1 , Rafael DA Silva Cavalcante  1 , Marcio Bezerra Gadelha Lopes  1   2 , Clodoaldo José Duarte DE Sousa  1 , Diego Ariel DE Lima  3
Affiliations

INCIDENCE OF DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS IN FLOATING KNEE

Jonatas Brito DE Alencar et al. Acta Ortop Bras. 2021 Jan-Feb.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To report the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in ipsilateral femur and tibial fractures (floating knee).

Methods: This is a retrospective, analytical, observational study conducted with the medical records of thirty patients admitted to a trauma hospital between October 2016 and July 2017 with floating knee.

Results: Patients aged between 21-30 years were the most affected by the condition (36%). Seventeen patients affected the dominant limb (57%); 19 (63%) patients were classified as Fraser type I, 18 (60%) had open (compound) fractures, 16 (53%) tibial fractures, and 8 (26%) femoral fractures. External fixation of the femur and tibia (25 patients = 83%) was the most common emergency treatment. In total, 17% of patients presented deep venous thrombosis (p = 0.409).

Conclusion: Despite antithrombotic prophylaxis, the incidence of DVT in the affected limb of patients with floating knee was high. We found patients with Fraser I fractures, male, and with fractures in the non-dominant limb to present a higher chance of developing DVT. Level of Evidence III, Comparative retrospective study .

Objetivo: Relatar a incidência de trombose venosa profunda (TVP) em fratura ipsilateral de fêmur e tíbia (joelho flutuante).

Materiais e métodos: Realizado um estudo retrospectivo, observacional e analítico por meio da avaliação de prontuários de trinta pacientes admitidos com joelho flutuante em um hospital de trauma durante o período de outubro de 2016 a julho de 2017.

Resultados: A faixa etária mais acometida foi entre 21 e 30 anos (36%). O acometimento do membro dominante ocorreu em 17 (57%) dos pacientes avaliados. Dezenove (63%) pacientes acometidos foram classificados como Fraser Tipo I. Dezoito (60%) pacientes tiveram fratura exposta, sendo 16 (53%) em tíbia e 8 (26%) em fêmur. O tratamento mais utilizado como urgência foi o de controle de danos com fixador externo em fêmur e tíbia (83%). Observamos trombose venosa profunda em 17% dos pacientes (p = 0,409).

Conclusão: Apesar do uso da profilaxia antitrombótica medicamentosa, houve uma grande incidência de TVP no membro acometido em pacientes com joelho flutuante na população estudada. As fraturas classificadas como Fraser I, pacientes do sexo masculino e o membro não dominante levaram ao aumento da probabilidade do surgimento de TVP. Nível de Evidência III, Estudo retrospectivo comparativo.

Keywords: Bone; Venous Thrombosis. Knee. Trauma. Fractures.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Fraser’s classification for the patients studied.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Patients with floating knee according to trauma mechanism.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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