A rare case of penetrating knee injury by a rope

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CJEM 2007;9(1):46

A 33-year-old man was using the winch on his car to tow a palate of piping. Under extreme tension, the 11-mm kernmantel rope broke. Its free end lashed back with such force that it penetrated the patient's knee like a missile, resulting in a unique case of penetrating injury (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

Flight paramedics documented intact neurovascular status and, after adequate pain control, the patient was flown to Vancouver's regional trauma centre. The orthopedic trauma service confirmed distal neurovascular function and removed the rope in the emergency department by pulling on one of its free ends. The patient was admitted, and prophylactic intravenous antibiotics were given. His in-hospital course was complicated by deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; however, the patient ultimately did well and was discharged 13 days after the injury with a functionally intact lower extremity.