To report our experience with computed tomography (CT) scans to detect traumatic arthrotomies of the knee (TAK) joint based on the presence of intra-articular air.
Design: Retrospective review.
Setting: Level I trauma center.
Patients: 62 consecutive patients (63 knees) underwent a CT scan of the knee in the emergency department and had a minimum of 14 days follow-up. Cohort of 37 patients (37 knees) from the original 62 patients who underwent a saline load test (SLT).
Intervention: CT scan and SLT.
Main Outcome Measures: Positive traumatic arthrotomy of the knee (+TAK) was defined as operating room (OR) confirmation of an arthrotomy or no intra-articular air on CT scan (-iaCT) (and -SLT if performed) with follow-up revealing a septic knee. Periarticular wound equivalent to no traumatic arthrotomy (pw = (-TAK)) was defined as OR evaluation revealing no arthrotomy or -iaCT (and -SLT if performed) with follow-up revealing no septic knee.
CT scan performs better than the conventional SLT to detect traumatic knee arthrotomies and identify periarticular knee wounds that do not require surgical intervention and should be considered a valid diagnostic test in the appropriate clinical setting.
Level of evidence: Diagnostic Level III. Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
To report our experience with computed tomography (CT) scans to detect traumatic arthrotomies of the knee (TAK) joint based on the presence of intra-articular air.
Design: Retrospective review.
Setting: Level I trauma center.
Patients: 62 consecutive patients (63 knees) underwent a CT scan of the knee in the emergency department and had a minimum of 14 days follow-up. Cohort of 37 patients (37 knees) from the original 62 patients who underwent a saline load test (SLT).
Intervention: CT scan and SLT.
Main Outcome Measures: Positive traumatic arthrotomy of the knee (+TAK) was defined as operating room (OR) confirmation of an arthrotomy or no intra-articular air on CT scan (-iaCT) (and -SLT if performed) with follow-up revealing a septic knee. Periarticular wound equivalent to no traumatic arthrotomy (pw = (-TAK)) was defined as OR evaluation revealing no arthrotomy or -iaCT (and -SLT if performed) with follow-up revealing no septic knee.
CT scan performs better than the conventional SLT to detect traumatic knee arthrotomies and identify periarticular knee wounds that do not require surgical intervention and should be considered a valid diagnostic test in the appropriate clinical setting.
Level of evidence: Diagnostic Level III. Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.