Popliteal artery thrombosis after open reduction and internal fixation of the patella

Case: A 31-year-old man presented with a right patellar fracture after a motor-vehicle accident. He had a history of a myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident, for which he reported taking aspirin and clopidogrel daily. One hour after surgery, an acute popliteal artery thrombosis was detected. The patient was ultimately successfully managed with endovascular placement of a catheter and a 14-hour infusion of tissue plasminogen activator. The patient had no further known thromboembolic events after 11 months of follow-up. Conclusion: High suspicion must be maintained for acute thromboembolic events in patients with a history of such events.