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Published on: July 4, 2017
Developmental anomaly of ossification type patella partita
1Oohashi Orthopaedic Clinic, 38-20, Ninomiya-3-choume, Fukui City, Fukui-Ken, 910-0015, Japan, oohashiy@lilac.ocn.ne.jp.
Symptomatic bipartite patella, a rare condition in young athletes, requires specific imaging like MRI to confirm pain from fragment movement. Surgical intervention for painful bipartite patella lacks sufficient evidence for routine use.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Bipartite patella is often an incidental finding.
- Symptomatic cases occur in adolescents and young athletes, with a 1-2% incidence.
- Understanding developmental anomalies of patella partita is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current concepts regarding developmental anomaly of ossification type patella partita.
- To discuss the diagnosis and management of symptomatic bipartite patella.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed.
- Included clinical papers and relevant German-language studies on incidence and classification.
- Focused on evaluating symptomatic bipartite patella.
Main Results:
- A new, simple classification for bipartite/tripartite patella based on fragment location and number was proposed.
- MRI is the most appropriate imaging modality for symptomatic bipartite patella.
- Evidence supporting routine surgical treatment for painful bipartite patella is insufficient.
Conclusions:
- Pain in symptomatic bipartite patella likely stems from fragment movement.
- Pre-operative confirmation of fragment motion via imaging is essential.
- MRI can identify pseudoarthrosis, indicating instability.
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