GSW to Knee

csi-sanders1129 · Jul 29, 2009

Hello all, I'm writing a story and I plan to shoot one of my characters, a 21 y/o male, in the knee when he refuses to do something mob related. However, I can find very little information on the effects of being kneecapped, as it is apparently called. Aside from shattering said kneecap, and likely ending up with a permanent limp, what else would be going on? Are there any big enough veins/arteries in that area that could cause damage if not treated right away? Can I reasonably keep the poor guy from medical treatment for a bit of time (a few hours, tops)? What medical treatment would be done? Surgery, I imagine, and lots of PT, too.

Any help would be much appreciated. :3

Perdoon · Jul 30, 2009

I'm no expert, but I would assume the veins and arteries going through your leg are similar to those going through your arms (anyone feel free to shoot me down if there are huge differences).

Go to the self-amputation story

I remember that one being on the news. I don't remember many details but what it says corresponds with what I remember and that's the only site mentioning it in my quick google search. I think he then survived a few days before reaching anywhere where it could be looked at but I could be wrong.

Therefore, I think you can probably say that so long as the character isn't a moron and bandages it up with a trouser leg or something, he could probably survive without medical treatment. The leg might be totally useless, but he could survive.

And I have no idea what surgery they would do either. You could probably get away with not mentioning what is done specifically if the character passes out and ends up in hospital/gets to the hospital and passes out/gets to the hospital, has the doctors say how messed up his knee is and gets rushed to an operating room or something.

csi-sanders1129 · Jul 30, 2009

Yeouch. That story sounds pretty painful.

As far as I know, the veins and arteries in the arms (brachial and radial, I think) are major ones. And there's one in the leg (femoral), but I don't know if there's one in the lower leg.

But, yeah. I can probably get away with not mentioning the stuff about surgery and ER care once he does get to help, if I tweak some things around.

Thanks for the help :3

Maryn · Jul 30, 2009

The Atlas of Clinical Anatomy shows no major veins or arteries over the knee joint. The femoral traverses the inside of the leg before reaching the knee joint, so it's in the back. There's a sort of branching blood vessel just above the knee in the illustration, but it's substantially smaller than the femoral.

Maryn, who loves her reference books

Tsu Dho Nimh · Jul 31, 2009

Their knee is really, really messed up and may never bend again even with the best orthopedic surgerons. Not a "permanent limp" but permanently walking with a stiff leg or legs. Might be able to do a knee implant.

Definitely survivable, that's why the do it.

csi-sanders1129 · Jul 31, 2009

Thanks to all of you for the info. :3 I think I've got it worked out as well as can be now.

GSW to Knee

csi-sanders1129

Perdoon

csi-sanders1129

Maryn

Baaa!

Tsu Dho Nimh

csi-sanders1129