Acute arterial occlusion in the midpiece of femoral artery following total knee arthroplasty: Report of one case

Acute arterial occlusion is a rare complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The incidence as reported previously is from 0.03% to 0.17%; however, the sequelae can be disastrous because of its potential threat to limb loss. We report a case of acute arterial occlusion in the midpiece of femoral artery following TKA occurred 40 min postoperatively. The occlusion site existed at the midpiece of femoral artery is uncommon. Arterial circulation of the lower limb could not be restored by the thrombolysis and thrombectomy treatments performed within 11 h after TKA. In the end, amputation had to be carried out. In the treatment of acute arterial occlusion following TKA with a tourniquet, it is important to fully consider that arteriosclerosis may induce atheromatous plaque disruption, which might be the reason for acute arterial occlusion.