Arthroscopic excision of a painful bipartite patella fragment

Bipartite patella is an uncommon finding, with the majority of cases discovered incidentally on radiographs. Occasionally, bipartite patella can become painful through sports activities, overuse, or following an injury, and the large majority of these cases resolve with nonoperative treatment. However, for patients who do not respond to a prolonged course of nonoperative treatment, surgical options may be considered. We report a successful case of arthroscopic excision of a painful bipartite patella fragment in a 19-year-old male collegiate basketball player. A review of the literature is included.