Retrograde Locked Intramedullary Nailing For The Stabilisation Of Femoral Fractures With Ipsilateral Tibial Fractures (Floating Knee): A Case Report

摘要

Floating knee is referred to when there is an ipsilateral fracture distal end of femur and proximal tibia. It is considered an orthopaedic emergency as it an unstable situation. Such injuries can lead to kinking or injury of the popliteal artery by the mobile fracture segment. This is so because the artery is fixed at 2 points, the adductor hiatus proximally at the femur and the soleal arch distally at the tibia. Therefore, immediate stabilization of such fractures is crucial. There are various methods of fixation available. We describe a method that we feel is safe and technically less demanding compared to others. Case Report A 27 years old male was involved in a road traffic accident on 29th December 2005. He is a motorcyclist who was hit by a car. He was brought in to our accident and emergency unit. He had a cerebral concussion with open fracture of midshaft left tibia (Winquist type III, Gustillo grade II) and closed fracture midshaft of left femur (Winquist type II), as shown in figure 1.