Patellar fractures. A 30-year follow-up.

Forty patients who had had a patellar fracture during the years 1950-58 were reevaluated 30 years later. A clinical and radiographic examination was performed. Fourteen patients had subjective complaints. Two thirds of the patients who had more than 2-mm diastasis or 1-mm incongruity had complaints and reduced quadriceps strength. Radiographically, all the patients had a reduction in the lateral patellofemoral distance in the axial view with the greatest reduction in the knees with diastasis or incongruity of the fracture.