Traumatic Knee Dislocation: A Retrospective Case Series Evaluating Clinical Presentation, Management, and Outcomes at a Tertiary Care Centre

Background: A knee dislocation occurs when there is a total loss of contact between the femoral and tibial articular surfaces, which is uncommon but disproportionately dangerous. Ligamentous, vascular, and neurological structures are frequently injured together, and outcome hinges on how quickly the injury is recognized and treated. Objective: This study aimed to describe the clinical presentation, mechanism and direction of traumatic knee dislocation, vascular and neurological status, acute management strategies, need for external fixation or delayed ligament reconstruction, limb salvage, and available short-term outcomes in patients treated at a tertiary care centre. Methods: This retrospective descriptive case series included seven patients with clinically and radiologically confirmed traumatic knee dislocation managed in the Department of Orthopaedics at a tertiary care centre between 1 January 2025 and 31 January 2026. Demographic characteristics, mechanism of injury, dislocation direction, vascular status, neurological findings, imaging, acute management, subsequent ligament reconstruction, and available follow-up outcomes were extracted from clinical records. Findings are presented descriptively as frequencies and percentages. Results: All seven patients were male (mean age 39 years, range 27-55 years), and all injuries resulted from road traffic accidents. Anterior dislocation was the most common pattern (4/7, 57.1%), followed by lateral (2/7, 28.6%) and posterior (1/7, 14.3%). One patient (14.3%) presented with absent distal pulses and underwent urgent vascular repair with external fixation, achieving limb salvage. External fixation was required in 2/7 cases (28.6%) and delayed anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in 2/7 cases (28.6%); the remaining patients were managed conservatively. Successful reduction was achieved in all cases, with no amputation or mortality. Conclusion: Traumatic knee dislocation requires prompt reduction and systematic neurovascular assessment, with early vascular intervention when compromise is suspected or confirmed. This small retrospective case series demonstrates the heterogeneity of management pathways and highlights the importance of coordinated orthopaedic and vascular care. Long-term functional conclusions are limited by incomplete and non-standardized follow-up.