Acute Popliteal Artery Thrombotic Occlusion Post Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Patient With Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Report of a Rare Complication

Abstract

Acute popliteal arterial thrombotic occlusion following total knee arthroplasty is a rare but serious complication, most of which happens due to blunt trauma during surgery in patients with preexisting peripheral vascular disease. Historically, popliteal artery thrombosis has been approached only by open surgery. In this report, we describe a case of acute thrombotic occlusion of the popliteal artery occurring immediately after total knee arthroplasty in a patient who was presumed healthy and found to have antiphospholipid syndrome and was successfully managed by mechanical endovascular thrombectomy.

Keywords: antiphospholipid syndrome; endovascular thrombectomy; osteoarthritis; popliteal artery thrombosis; total knee arthroplasty.