Knee Injuries Associated with Hip Dislocation
Hip dislocations after trauma can cause knee injuries too. There's a 93 percent rate of knee problems in patients with hip dislocation after traumatic injury. Most were involved in a car accident. Doctors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, used MRIs, X-rays, and exam under anesthesia to find this out.
Hitting the knee against the dashboard is one common cause of bone bruises around the knee. Bone fractures, ligament injuries, and meniscal tears were also seen with MRI.
After traumatic hip dislocation and surgery, patients in this study were unable to walk for three months. Any injury to the knee went unnoticed until months later. Finding these injuries early can lead to treatment sooner. Early treatment can mean better results for the patient.
The authors of this study advise the liberal use of MRI to find these extra injuries. Not all knee injuries after hip dislocation are obvious. X-rays and physical exam while the patient is under anesthesia will show some knee injuries. MRIs will help show the rest.
References: Gary L. Schmidt, MD, et al. Knee Injury in Patients Experiencing a High-Energy Traumatic Ipsilateral Hip Dislocation. In The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. June 2005. Vol. 87-A. No. 6. Pp. 1200-1204.
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