[The floating knee: a retrospective analysis of 172 cases]

The current issues and challenges in the management of floating knee injury: a retrospective study

Purpose

The management of floating knee injuries is still controversial and challenging for trauma specialists. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of the floating knee in lower limb trauma, analyzing the challenges in its management, and factors affecting clinical outcomes.

Methods

In this mono-center retrospective study, 36 consecutive patients were included. All individuals were diagnosed with an ipsilateral fracture of the femur and tibia, managed surgically according to their fracture pattern (Fraser classification), and the severity of the injury. The timing for each operation was determined based on the general condition of the patient and the local physiological condition of soft tissues. The patients' clinical outcomes were finally evaluated based on their Karlstrom and Olerud scores and were categorized as excellent, good, acceptable, fair, or poor.

Results

In this study, the mean follow-up period was 51.39 ± 16.02 months (11-130 months). Incidence of the floating knee was 2.32% in all lower limb traumas. From this number, 16 patients suffered from floating knee injury in the left lower extremity, and 18 in the right lower limb, while in 2 patients the condition was bilateral. The most common injury mechanism was road traffic accidents, accounting for 28 (77.78%) cases. The outcome was as follows; Excellent to good results in 22 (61.11%) cases, acceptable results in 2 (5.56%) cases, and fair to poor results in 12 (33.33%) cases according to the Karlström-Olerud scoring system. The most frequent early complications were wound infection and deep venous thrombosis in 5 (13.88%) of the cases. The most common late complication was common peroneal nerve palsy recorded in 2 (5.56%) cases.

Conclusion

The presence of important concomitant injuries to the floating knee together with poor soft tissue conditions constituted important factors influencing possible management options and may have led to poorer clinical outcomes.

Simultaneous bilateral floating knee: A case report

BACKGROUND

The phrase “floating knee is a flail knee joint,” referring to ipsilateral femoral and tibial fractures, was first used by Blake and McBryde in 1975. This condition is often caused by a high-energy trauma with often extensive injury to the soft tissues, and is accompanied by life-threatening systemic complications, including head, chest or abdominal injuries and a high incidence of fat embolism. Floating knee is a severe and uncommon injury pattern.

CASE SUMMARY

A 27-year-old man sustained multiple injuries when the electric motorcycle he was riding was hit by a van. His injuries included traumatic hypovolemic shock, comminuted and open type II fractures of the left femoral shaft, fracture of the right femoral shaft, comminuted fracture of the bilateral tibial and fibular shaft, and multiple lacerations and abrasions on his forehead, lower lip, neck and limbs. The diagnosis was simultaneous bilateral floating knee complicated with soft tissue injuries. After emergency treatment and the exclusion of life-threating complications, open reduction and internal fixation were successfully performed using plates and screws in the bilateral femoral and tibial shafts.

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous bilateral floating knee is a rare and severe injury pattern. The treatment is challenging, and complications. We present a case report of a young adult who suffered from bilateral floating knees during road traffic accident. We also offer our treatment experience of this complex injury and review past literature.

The Floating Knee Injuries: Does it Need a New Classification System?

BACKGROUND

This study aims to determine the differences between the clinical and radiological results of patients based on Karlstrom-Olerud Scoring System who cannot be included in any classification for floating knee injuries and to seek an answer to the question of whether a new classification is needed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Seventy patients with floating knee injuries treated in our clinic were retrospectively analyzed between 2008 and 2019 in the study. The results of fractures that classifiable and unclassifiable according to the Fraser, Blake and McBryde classifications were statistically compared based on the Karlstrom-Olerud criteria.

RESULTS

Seventy patients, 64 males and 6 females, participated in the study. The mean age of our patients was 32.3 ± 12.55 (18-68) years. The mean follow-up period of the patients was 30.26 ± 18.19 months (11-60 months). The results of the fractures that could not be classified according to the Blake and McBryde classification were statistically poorer than the results of those that could be classified according to the criteria (p = 0.041).The results of the fractures that could not be classified according to the Fraser classification were statistically poorer than the results of those that could be classified according to the criteria defined by Karlstrom and Olerud (p = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

We observed that floating knee injuries that we could and could not classify led to different clinical results. In conclusion, we think that there is a need for a new floating knee classification that includes segmental fractures, patellar fractures and open fractures.

Implant-associated Hoffa's Fracture in a Floating Knee: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Introduction:

Complex floating knee in the presence of a previous implant creates an unusual fracture pattern which is a rare entity and poses a unique challenge in management and subsequent rehabilitation.

Case Report:

A 56-year-old psychiatric patient who jumped from height had a polytrauma and a floating knee injury. Following the primary care and damage control surgery with knee-spanning fixator at some other centers, he was shifted to us on ventilator care and was directly admitted to intensive care unit for further management. On presentation, it was a floating knee injury with gross comminution of both femur and tibia with associated Hoffa with bent implant in situ. It was managed by plating of both lower end femur and tibia and at the end of 6 months, showed a satisfactory outcome.

Conclusion:

Floating knee injuries further complicated by the presence of the previous implant in a polytrauma situation poses a unique challenge which requires meticulous surgical planning and prolonged rehabilitation to achieve satisfactory outcome.

Functional outcomes and quality of life in adult ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures

Objective

The aim of our study is to evaluate the functional outcomes and quality of life in adult ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures.

Methods

26 patients (21 male, 5 female; mean age 30 years, range: 18 to 66) treated for adult ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures were evaluated retrospectively. For femur fractures, intramedullary nails were used in 15 patients (12 antegrade, 3 retrograde), plate in 11 patients (10 locked-plate, and 1 blade-plate with a 95 degree angle). For tibia fractures, locked-plate were used in 13 patients, intramedullary nails in 9 patients, external fixator in 3 patients and multiple screws in 1 patient. According to Blake and McBryde classification, 17 fractures were type I, 9 fractures were type II (7 type 2A and 2 type 2B). The functional outcomes were evaluated by Karlström and Olerud criteria, and quality of life was evaluated by Short Form-36. The mean follow-up duration was 4.4 years (range: 1.1 to 7.3 years).

Results

The functional outcomes were excellent in 6 patients, good in 8 patients, acceptable in 6 patients and poor in 6 patients. The mean values of quality of life scales were; physical function: 64.8, physical role limitation: 60.5, pain: 68.2, general health: 63.3, vitality: 58.4, social function: 68.2, emotional role limitation: 62.7, and mental health: 65.8.

Conclusion

Adult ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures are severe injuries and adversely affect the quality of life and functional outcomes. The quality of life scales should be used along with functional outcome scores in evaluating these injuries.

The translational potential of this article

Adult ipsilateral femur and tibia fractures cause severe morbidity. Functional outcomes and quality of life scales should be used together to evaluate these fractures. Karlström and Olerud criteria for functional outcomes and Short Form-36 scales for quality of life are suitable methods to evalute these fractures.

The floating knee: a review on ipsilateral femoral and tibial fractures

In 1975, Blake and McBryde established the concept of 'floating knee' to describe ipsilateral fractures of the femur and tibia.1 This combination is much more than a bone lesion; the mechanism is usually a high-energy trauma in a patient with multiple injuries and a myriad of other lesions.After initial evaluation patients should be categorised, and only stable patients should undergo immediate reduction and internal fixation with the rest receiving external fixation.Definitive internal fixation of both bones yields the best results in almost all series.Nailing of both bones is the optimal fixation when both fractures (femoral and tibial) are extra-articular.Plates are the 'standard of care' in cases with articular fractures.A combination of implants are required by 40% of floating knees.Associated ligamentous and meniscal lesions are common, but may be irrelevant in the case of an intra-articular fracture which gives the worst prognosis for this type of lesion. Cite this article: Muñoz Vives K, Bel J-C, Capel Agundez A, Chana Rodríguez F, Palomo Traver J, Schultz-Larsen M, Tosounidis, T. The floating knee. EFORT Open Rev 2016;1:375-382. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.1.000042.

[Assessment of concomitant floating knees injuries severity]

Le genou flottant est issu d’un traumatisme de haute énergie, dont la genèse suggère de vaste dégâts aussi bien sur le plan locorégional que général. Faisant référence au polytaumatisme. Le but de notre étude était de recenser toutes les lésions concomitantes au genou flottant dans notre milieu de pratique et d’évaluer la sévérité. Nous avons mené une étude descriptive et rétrospective couvrant une période de 14 ans et 9 mois. Sur un échantillon de 75 genoux flottants, avec une moyenne d’âge de 35 ans. Soixante six patients avaient obtenu un score d’ISS supérieur ou égal à 16 donc qualifié de polytraumatisé. Les traumatismes crâniens, les lésions thoraciques et abdominales retrouvés en même temps que le genou flottant exigent une réanimation adéquate.

The intramedullary nailing using a single knee incision for treatment of extraarticular floating knee (nine cases)

Context:

Floating knee injuries are uncommon and complex injuries. Management of this injury has been variously described in the literature.

Aims:

We present the outcome of the intramedullary nailing using a single knee incision for treatment of extraarticular floating knee.

Materials and Methods:

We report a retrospective series of nine patients with extraarticular floating knee.

Results:

There were seven men and two women with an average age of 35 years. At least one of the fractures was open in three cases. The average Injury Severity Score was 17. According to Fraser's classification, 100% of the cases are type I. All our patients were treated by the intramedullary nailing using a single knee incision. The mean operating time was 146 min. The mean follow-up is 19 months. According to the Karlström criteria, the end results were excellent in two cases, good in four, acceptable in two, and poor in one. Bone union was achieved in eight cases with an average period of 93 days.

Conclusions:

The intramedullary nailing using a single knee incision has shown in this series better results.