The basket plate in the osteosynthesis of comminuted fractures of distal pole of the patella.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the basket plate in the treatment of comminuted fractures of the distal pole of the patella (patellar apex fracture). The basket plate was designed by Smiljanić Branimir M.D., Clinical Professor of Surgery, at the Department of Surgery, The University Hospital Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb, Croatia. In the period from 1988 to 2003, more than 100 patients with comminuted patellar apex fractures had been treated with basket plate osteosynthesis in the Department of Surgery. Only 51 patients were subsequently available for knee examination. For evaluation of the knee, we used a modified Cincinnati knee rating system, using a manual dynamometer in the evaluation of the knee extension. The results were excellent in 30 patients, good in 16 and satisfactory in 5 patients; no poor results were observed. The stability of the osteosynthesis by basket plate allows osseous consolidation if the fracture and permits loading the leg with full body weight early in the postoperative period.