Popliteal artery thrombosis following total knee arthroplasty managed successfully with percutaneous intervention.

Acute popliteal artery thrombosis is a rare complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with sequelae including critical limb ischaemia and amputation. We report the case of a 54-year-old woman who developed acute popliteal artery thrombosis following TKA, presenting 2 weeks after the initial symptoms. While such cases have been traditionally managed with surgical thrombectomy or bypass grafting, percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy is an emerging alternative management strategy in the early postoperative period. However, in patients in whom intervention is delayed, the efficacy of percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy is not known. Our patient had complete resolution of thrombus following percutaneous thrombus aspiration, angioplasty and tirofiban administration. Prompt diagnosis and early percutaneous intervention may avert critical limb ischaemia in patients presenting with popliteal artery thrombosis following TKA. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.