Arthroscopic treatement of patella fractures in children

Introduction. The frequency of patellar fractures is approximately 0.5% to 1.5% of all skeletal injuries. The following types of fractures can be distinguished: avulsive, transverse, longitudinal, and comminuted. In cases of displacement of more than 2–3 mm and quadriceps tendon injuries open reduction and internal fixation with the restoration of the articular surface is more preferable. In cases of longitudinal fractures, arthroscopy is regarded as a highly effective method of surgical treatment.

Materials and methods. Using arthroscopy, we have operated on 4 patients with longitudinal fracture of the patella. The average age of the injured persons was 15.4 years (14–17). These were 3 males and 1 female. All patients had sport-related injuries.

Because of the longitudinal fracture of the patella, the lateral knee extensor mechanism remained intact, and arthrosopy-assisted surgical intervention with closed reposition of fragments and transcutaneous wire fixation was performed without wire suturing.

Results and discussion. Minimal invasiveness, the possibility of visual control over the recovery quality of patellar surface, the reliability of fragment fixation, and a significant reduction in the subsequent rehabilitation make arthroscopy a highly effective method of surgical treatment for patellar fractures.