[Outcome of surgical treatment for patellar fractures]

Twenty patients were treated surgically between March 1996 and March 2000. The mean age was 39.5 (18-68) and whom 13 were male and 7 were female. Surgical treatment methods as follows; modified tension band wiring in 10 of the patients with transverse fractures, mini cancellous screw and lag-screw fixation in 7 with vertical fractures and in 2 with distal pol fractures, combination of K wire and circumferential cerclage wire fixation in 5 with comminuted fractures. The average follow-up time was 24 months (6-54 months) and findings were evaluated radiologically and according to scale of Levack. Results were rated as good in 55%, moderate in 35% and poor in 10% of the patients. It was found that modified tension band wiring technique gave the best results. We concluded that majority of the trauma, type of the fracture, surgical technique and post operative rehabilitation were affected the results of patellar fractures treated surgically. In addition to this, patellectomy may be performed in severely comminuted fractures where no major fragments containing of articular surface of the patella exist.