Ultrasound Identification of Calcific Patellar Tendinitis After Patellar Fracture Fixation

Calcific tendinopathy most commonly affects the rotator cuff, whereas involvement of the patellar tendon is exceedingly rare. Persistent anterior knee pain following patellar fracture fixation is usually attributed to postoperative stiffness, hardware irritation, or altered biomechanics, potentially leading to underrecognition of concomitant tendon pathology. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is well suited for evaluating postoperative tendon disorders because it enables detailed assessment of tendon abnormalities while simultaneously depicting adjacent soft tissues and surgical implants. This presentation highlights intratendinous calcification accompanied by active tendinopathic changes after patellar fracture fixation and emphasizes the diagnostic contribution of ultrasound in the evaluation of persistent postoperative anterior knee pain.