The floating knee: Diagnosis and management algorithm

The floating knee is defined by the association of a homolateral fracture of the femur and tibia.It is a rare injury, often caused by a high-energy trauma, which explains the frequency of serious injury associations that may be life-threatening.The floating knee poses a problem of management. Indeed, there is neither a surgical technique for the floating knee, nor a perfect treatment protocol. Immediate complications are dominated by the occurrence of fat embolism.In the long term, there is the problem of knee ligament damage and callus.The aim of our monograph is:To analyze the different anatomopathological lesions.To describe the different therapeutic possibilities for femur and tibia fractures.To establish a management algorithm.To draw attention to the repercussion of these fracture associations on the knee in terms of stiffness, laxity and axis defect.