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Updated: Aug 18, 2025
Pseudofracture: An Acute Peripheral Tissue Trauma Model
Published on: April 18, 2011
[Medial Hoffa fracture: a case report]
A E Hernández-Coria1, C I Estrada-Marín2, A García-Hernández3
1Servicio de Ortopedia Pediátrica. Hospital General de México «Dr. Eduardo Liceaga», Ciudad de México. México.
Insights
This case study highlights the successful surgical management of a rare medial Hoffa fracture in the knee. Anatomical reduction and internal fixation led to a full recovery and return to daily activities.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Traumatology
- Radiology
Background:
- Medial femoral condyle Hoffa fractures are exceptionally rare injuries.
- Successful management hinges on prompt diagnosis and precise anatomical reduction of the articular surface.
Observation:
- A case of right medial Hoffa fracture following a fall during horse riding is presented.
- Imaging revealed a subtle coronal plane fracture, associated with meniscal and ACL tears.
Findings:
- Open reduction and internal fixation with cannulated screws were performed via a medial approach.
- The patient achieved full range of motion and remained asymptomatic post-surgery.
Implications:
- A medial approach preserves the extensor mechanism, facilitating good outcomes.
- Anatomical reduction and stable fixation are crucial for restoring knee function after Hoffa fractures.
Introduction:
knee femoral condyle coronal fractures or Hoffa fractures are among the rarest fractures of the pelvic limb, being even more rare those of the medial condyle. The success in the management of these patients lies in the timely diagnosis and the consequent anatomical reduction of the femoral articular surface.
Clinical Case:
the objective of this article is to present a patient with right medial Hoffa fracture, registered as a single case in the archives of our hospital. The patient was referred to us on November 2011, with a 10-day course after suffering a fall from horse ridding, presenting a forced varus mechanism and direct contusion of the right knee. He shows an anteroposterior and lateral knee X-rays showing a subtle solution of continuity in the coronal plane of the base of the medial condyle, corroborated with magnetic resonance imaging and was also associated with a non-surgical partial injury of both menisci and the anterior cruciate ligament. Surgical intervention was performed on 27th/11/2011, through open reduction with a medial approach and internal fixation with 7.0 mm (x2) cannulated screws. The patient was discharged with early and continuous mobilization of the knee, deferring support and rehabilitation until the 6th week. He is currently a wandering patient, asymptomatic, with complete range of motion. Because respecting the extensor apparatus through a medial approach and the articular surface with cannulated screws, it was observed in consequence an adequate evolution of our patient, being able to return to his daily activities, even remount.
