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The management of the painful bipartite patella: a systematic review
Samuel E McMahon1, Johannes A LeRoux2, Toby O Smith3
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, BT12 6BA, UK. sammc84@gmail.com.
Purpose:
This study aimed to identify the most effective method for the treatment of the symptomatic bipartite patella.
Methods:
A systematic review of the literature was completed, and all studies assessing the management of a bipartite patella were included. Owing to the paucity of randomised controlled trials, a narrative review of 22 studies was completed. A range of treatments were assessed: conservative measures, open and arthroscopic fixation or excision and soft tissue release and excision.
Results:
All of the methods provided results ranging from good to excellent, with acceptable complication rates.
Conclusions:
This is a poorly answered treatment question. No firm guidance can be given as to the most appropriate method of treating the symptomatic bipartite patella. This study suggests that there are a number of effective treatments with acceptable complication rates and it may be that treatments that conserve the patella are more appropriate for larger fragments.
Level Of Evidence:
IV.
