Popliteal artery injury in a lumberjack.

We discuss the case of a patient with knee dislocation and popliteal artery injury. A high index of suspicion for vascular injury must be maintained in cases of blunt knee injury because more than one third of patients with knee dislocation will have an associated popliteal artery injury. Patients with a grossly unstable knee after blunt trauma often have had a knee dislocation; such patients should receive aggressive evaluation for popliteal artery injury. Arteriography should be done for all trauma patients with a grossly unstable knee joint or knee dislocation and palpable pedal pulses. For patients with severe limb ischemia, arteriograms may be done in the operating room to expedite revascularization. Without rapid recognition and revascularization, blunt injury to the popliteal artery results in a rate of limb loss of more than 30%.