Surgical Error Leads to Prolonged Recovery and Wound Complications

Case Overview

This case involves an individual with a history of knee pain due to degenerative arthritis who underwent a right total knee arthroplasty. During the surgical procedure, a partial laceration of the popliteal artery occurred, necessitating a femoral-popliteal bypass. Following the surgery, the patient's recovery was complicated by poor wound healing at the incision site of the bypass, leading to a prolonged recovery period and multiple visits to wound care specialists.

Questions to the Vascular Surgery expert and their responses

Briefly, what is the standard of care regarding wound care management at the incision site in patients who underwent a femoral-popliteal bypass procedure?

Wound management at the incision site depends largely on the wound and conduit used in the bypass. Generally, the standard of care includes antibiotics, wound care, and imaging. Depending on the depth of infection, operative debridement may be required.

What are the most pertinent clinical considerations when assessing a patient for femoropopliteal bypass grafting, with specific regard to poor wound healing in patients with venous insufficiency?

In patients with venous insufficiency, postoperative compression is critical to achieving healing.

About the expert

This expert has extensive experience in the field of general and vascular surgery. She earned her BA in biology from Harvard University, her MA in clinical research from Case Western Reserve University, and her MD from Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. She went on to complete her internship and general surgery residency at Johns Hopkins University, followed by a prestigious fellowship in vascular surgery and endovascular therapy at the same university. Today, this expert is board certified in vascular surgery and general surgery. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, and the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society. Currently, she serves as an associate professor and associate program director of surgery and as the director of the surgery center outcomes research at a well-known university in Maryland. She is also an attending physician and the director of research for multidisciplinary diabetic foot and wound service at a hospital in Maryland.

E-800256

Specialties:

Vascular Surgery