Patella fracture fixation with suture and wire: you reap what you sew

Operative fixation of displaced inferior pole patella fractures has now become the standard of care. This study aims to quantify clinical, radiographic and functional outcomes, as well as identify complications in a cohort of patients treated with non-absorbable braided suture fixation for inferior pole patellar fractures. These patients were then compared to a control group of patients treated for mid-pole fractures with K-wires or cannulated screws with tension band wiring.

In this IRB approved study, we identified a cohort of patients who were diagnosed and treated surgically for a displaced patella fracture. Demographic, injury, and surgical information were recorded. All patients were treated with a standard surgical technique utilizing non-absorbable braided suture woven through the patellar tendon and placed through drill holes to achieve reduction and fracture fixation. All patients were treated with a similar post-operative protocol and followed up at standard intervals. Data were collected concurrently at follow up visits. For purpose of comparison, we identified a control cohort with middle third patella fractures treated with either k-wires or cannulated screws and tension band technique. Patients were followed by the treating surgeon at regular follow-up intervals. Outcomes included self-reported function and knee range of motion compared to the uninjured side.

Forty-nine patients with 49 patella fractures identified retrospectively were treated over 9 years. This cohort consisted of 31 females (63.3%) and 18 males (36.7%) with an average age of 57.1 years (range 26-88 years). Patients had an average BMI of 26.48 (range 19-44.08). Thirteen patients with inferior pole fractures underwent suture fixation and 36 patients with mid-pole fractures underwent tension band fixation (K-wire or cannulated screws with tension band). In the suture cohort, one fracture failed open repair (7.6%), which was revised again with sutures and progressed to union. Of the 36 fractures repaired with a tension band fixation, 11 underwent secondary surgery due to hardware pain or fixation failure (30.6%). At one year, no difference was seen in knee range of motion between cohorts. All fractures healed radiographically. Those patients who required reoperation or removal of hardware had significantly diminished range of motion about their injured knee (p > 0.005).

Patients who sustain inferior pole patella fractures have limited options for fracture fixation. Suture repair is clinically acceptable, yielding similar results to patella fractures repaired with metal implants. Importantly, patients undergoing suture repair appear to have fewer hardware related postoperative complications than those receiving wire fixation for midpole fractures.