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Distal patellar pole fractures

A proposed common mechanism of injury

Department of Orthopaedics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Carey C. Alkire, MD

Department of Orthopaedics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

A variety of names has been given to disorders of the inferior pole of the patella occurring in young athletic individuals and several different causes have been pro posed for these disorders. Occasionally a direct blow will cause fracture of the inferior pole of the patella, but the only other mechanism which seems to be respon sible is subluxation or dislocation. Ten cases of distal patellar pole fracture secondary to dislocation or sub luxation of the patella are reported. From these cases and an extensive review of the literature it is concluded that patellar subluxation or dislocation is the usual common mechanism of distal patellar pole fractures in young, active individuals and that adequate treatment of this problem must address the patellar instability as well as the fracture.

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