Open Reduction and Internal Fixation: An Alternative Approach to Excision of Symptomatic Bipartite Patella

A 16-year-old patient with no relevant medical history presented with pain superolateral to the patella after a sports-related injury. Subsequent imaging revealed an anatomic bipartite patella with a disrupted fibrocartilaginous junction. Anatomic bipartite patella are normal variants that typically cause minimal to no pain. Painful variants are most often corrected with surgical excision of the excess bone. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of the accessory bone to the patella is a rare but proven strategy to reduce pain without excision, especially in patients with tendinous attachment to the accessory bone.