Major vascular injuries complicating knee arthroscopy

Starting with a case report, we made a detailed review of the literature, with the purpose of identifying and analyzing the type of iatrogenic vascular lesion following knee arthroscopy and the method of vascular repair. A PubMed literature search was undertaken to locate all reported cases of major vascular iatrogenic injuries during arthroscopic knee procedures. We identified 39 papers which report a total of 62 cases of major iatrogenic popliteal lesions after knee arthroscopy, between 1985 and 2014. The type of arthroscopic intervention performed, the type of iatrogenic vascular lesion encountered, the time passed until its discovery and treatment, the method of vascular reconstruction, and the postoperative course are presented. Postarthroscopy vascular complications are infrequent but potentially disastrous for the condition of the affected inferior limb. An early diagnosis and reintervention are mandatory for a good postoperative outcome.