Management of the acute knee dislocation: the Pittsburgh experience

Traumatic dislocation of the knee is among the most severe form of ligament injury to the lower extremity. While the incidence of knee dislocations is low, this injury is associated with a high rate of complications including amputation. There is potential for a traumatic knee dislocation to present to the emergency department after spontaneous or in-field reduction. This requires a vigilant, comprehensive, and systematic approach to the injured knee and extremity to avoid limb-threatening oversights. At the University of Pittsburgh a comprehensive algorithm has been developed to facilitate accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment of complex traumatic knee injuries. The following manuscript includes a detailed review of the literature and explains our specific approach to this diagnostic dilemma.