Related Experiment Videos
Irreducible posterolateral dislocation of the knee
F S Huang1, P T Simonian, H A Chansky
1Department of Surgery, Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System, and the Department of Orthopaedics, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Summary
Irreducible traumatic knee dislocations, often posterolateral, may require open reduction due to medial femoral condyle buttonholing. This case highlights the dimple sign and surgical approach for this rare injury.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Traumatology
Background:
- Traumatic knee dislocations are uncommon injuries.
- Most knee dislocations can be managed with closed reduction.
- Neurovascular injury is a common complication.
Observation:
- A rare subset of knee dislocations are irreducible by closed manipulation.
- These irreducible dislocations typically involve posterolateral tibial displacement.
- A key feature is the medial femoral condyle buttonholing through the medial retinaculum, presenting as a dimple sign.
Findings:
- Open reduction is necessary for irreducible knee dislocations.
- The surgical procedure involves extracting incarcerated soft tissues from the trochlea and intercondylar notch.
- This case details an irreducible posterolateral knee dislocation and its management.
Implications:
- Understanding the mechanism of irreducible dislocations is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Open reduction may be required for specific knee dislocation patterns.
- Intraoperative video can enhance the understanding of this unusual injury's presentation and management.