Fractures of the patella treated by operation.

A retrospective analysis of 93 operatively treated fractures of the patella is presented. Tension band fixation was used in 14, circumferential wire in 15 and screw fixation in 19 patients. Partial patellectomy was performed in 35 cases and total patellectomy in 10 cases. The result was considered excellent in 27% of the patients, good in 49%, fair in 16% and poor in 8%. Patients under 30 years of age had better results than the older ones (p less than 0.01). Tension band fixation gave results superior to screw fixation (p less than 0.05) and partial patellectomy superior to total patellectomy (p less than 0.02). The length of the immobilization time in plaster showed no statistical significance. As a result of this investigation tension band fixation and partial patellectomy seem to be the methods of choice in the management of those fractures of the patella which need operative treatment.