Pseudoaneurysm after arthroscopic procedure in the knee.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Medical Literature Review

Background:

• Pseudoaneurysms are uncommon but serious complications following arthroscopic knee procedures.
• Understanding the incidence, affected arteries, and clinical presentation is vital for prompt diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive literature review of pseudoaneurysms after knee arthroscopy.
• To report on a treated case of pseudoaneurysm and synthesize findings from existing literature.

Main Methods:

• Bibliographic search of Brazilian and international scientific articles over 23 years.
• Inclusion of 47 previously reported cases and one newly treated case for analysis.

Main Results:

• Pseudoaneurysms occurred most frequently after procedures for meniscal injuries (60%) and anterior cruciate ligament injuries (23%).
• The popliteal artery (46%) and inferomedial genicular artery (21%) were most commonly affected.
• Key symptoms included pain (37%), pulsatile tumor (31%), calf edema (12%), and hemarthrosis (11%).
• Median diagnosis time was 11 days, with a range from 1 day to 10 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Pseudoaneurysms are a rare but significant vascular risk associated with knee arthroscopy.
• Patient awareness of potential vascular complications, even in minimally invasive procedures, is essential.