Comparison of Floating Knee according to Presence of Knee Joint Injury

Chung, Eau-Sup; Park, Jong Hyuk; Choi, Hee Rack; Lee, Joo Hong; Lee, Kwang-Bok

doi:10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.4.277

J Korean Fract Soc. 2012 Oct;25(4):277-282. Korean.
Published online Oct 19, 2012.
https://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2012.25.4.277

Original Article

Comparison of Floating Knee according to Presence of Knee Joint Injury

Eau-Sup Chung, M.D.,^* Jong Hyuk Park, M.D., Hee Rack Choi, M.D., Joo Hong Lee, M.D. and Kwang-Bok Lee, M.D.

Author information

Author notes

Copyright and License

- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea.
- ^*Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeonju, Korea.
Address reprint requests to: Kwang-Bok Lee, M.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital, 20, Geonji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 561-712, Korea. Tel: 82-63-250-2586, Fax: 82-63-271-6538, Email: osdr2815@naver.com

Received November 10, 2011; Revised December 28, 2011; Accepted May 30, 2012.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

To compare the clinical outcomes of floating knee according to the presence of knee joint injury.

Materials and Methods

Between March 2004 and March 2009, we investigated 36 patients, who underwent surgical treatment for floating knee injuries. We classified the floating knee into two groups as type I (12 cases) has no knee joint injury and type II (24 cases) has knee joint injury. We compared two groups about combined injury (orthopedics or other part), open fracture or not, neurovascular injury,union time, range of motion, and complication rate.

Results

There is statistically no significant difference between two groups as type I (6 cases, 50%) and type II (13 cases, 54.2%) in orthopedic combined injury (p=0.813), and also same as type I (3 cases, 25%) and type II (12 cases, 50%) in combined injury on the other department (p=0.151), and in floating knee with open fracture as 4 type I (33%) and 12 type II (50%) of 16 cases (44%), and Gustilo-Anderson 3 type I, 4 type II, 1 IIIA, 4 IIIB, and 4 IIIC (p=0.423). There is statistically no significant difference between two groups in neurovascular injury as 1 type I (8.3%), and 3 type II (12.5%) (p=0.708). There is a statistically significant difference between two groups in the mean bone union time as 18.2±5.37 weeks (12~24 weeks) for type I and 24.95±9.85 weeks (16~33 weeks) for type II (p=0.045), and in the mean range of knee joint motion as 133±12.74 degree (120~150 degree) for type I and 105±19.00 degree (80~135 degree) for type II (p=0.012).

Conclusion

Floating knee with knee joint injury is severe itself and related with severe combined injuries, subsequent range of knee joint motion limitation, the delay of union time, and high complication rate. Therefore, we should take care in surgical treatment for this trauma entity.

Keywords

Knee joint; Femur; Floating knee

Figures

Fig. 1
(A) Preoperative knee anteroposterior (AP) lateral radiographs show a tibia and femur shaft comminuted fracture, but the fracture line does not extend to the knee joint.

(B) Postoperative knee AP lateral radiographs show good reduction with internal fixation device (intramedullary nails).

(C) Last follow-up knee AP lateral radiographs show the complete bony healing at fracture sites.

Click for larger image

Fig. 2
(A) Preoperative knee antero-posterior (AP) lateral radiographs show femur intra-articular comminuted fracture and tibia open comminuted fracture with posterior tibial artery rupture.

(B) Postoperative femur and tibia AP lateral radiographs show plate and screw fixation for the femur and temporary external fixation for the tibia, which was converted to plate and screw fixation after open wound healing.

(C) Last follow-up knee AP lateral radiographs show complete bony healing at the fracture sites.

Click for larger image

Tables

Table 1
Demographic Data of Type I and Type II Floating Knee Injuries

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Table 2
Clinical Results of Type I and Type II Floating Knee Injuries

Click for larger image

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