The Importance of Appropriate Incision Choice in Conversion Total Knee Arthroplasty

When faced with the necessity of surgery in a previously operated knee, pre-operative planning and understanding of the vascular anatomy to the front of the knee is essential. Blood flow to the anterior aspect of the knee comes from medial to lateral. Therefore, in the case of multiple previous knee incisions the most lateral incision should always be chosen to avoid skin necrosis. The concept of a safe distance between incisions is inappropriate, risks extensive skin necrosis, and should be abandoned. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 30(4):253–255, 2021)

Key words: knee skin incision, vascular supply, necrosis