[Treatment of Displaced Patellar Fractures with Multiple Circular Cerclage]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Patellar fractures are common knee injuries requiring effective surgical management.
• Multiple circular cerclage is a surgical technique used for fracture fixation.
• Evaluating the mid-term outcomes of this technique is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform a mid-term evaluation of the results of treating displaced patellar fractures using multiple circular cerclage.
• To assess fracture healing, reposition quality, and functional outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective clinical study of 29 patients with displaced patellar fractures treated with multiple circular cerclage (2008-2014).
• Assessment of radiographic documentation for reposition quality, healing, and complications.
• Clinical examination including range of motion (ROM), Visual Analogue Scale for Pain (VAS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS).

Main Results:

• 93.1% of fractures healed (27/29) with a mean healing time of 10.3 weeks.
• Mean follow-up was 66.6 months; mean knee flexion was 135°, extension 0.2°.
• Mean VAS score was 2.4; mean LEFS score was 68.7; mean KOOS scores ranged from 48.1 to 76.7.

Conclusions:

• Multiple circular cerclage is a simple, inexpensive, and effective method for treating displaced patellar fractures.
• The technique yields functional outcomes and complication rates comparable to other surgical methods.
• It is suitable for most fracture types, though comminuted fractures may have a slightly higher risk of reposition loss.