Traumatic popliteal artery thrombosis and compartment syndrome of the leg following blunt trauma to the knee: a discussion of treatment and complications

Blunt trauma to the knee has been associated with both musculoskeletal and neurovascular injury to the leg. Popliteal artery thromboses secondary to such trauma can be complicated by a compartment syndrome. The loss of distal pulses in the leg following blunt knee trauma should always be attributed to a suspected vascular lesion and not to the presence of the compartment hypertension. We present a case in which the diagnosis of a popliteal artery thrombosis was delayed because the loss of distal pulses was initially attributed to the compartment syndrome.