Painful fabella. A case report with review of the literature.

Fabellectomy gave immediate and continued relief of symptoms to a patient with pain of long duration in the lateral aspect of both popliteal fossae. Attention should be given to pathologic changes of the fabella in cases with intermittent posterolateral knee pain and normal examination of the knee, except for tenderness on pressure over the fabella. The clinical importance of the fabella is discussed with special regard to chondromalacia.