INDICATIONS AND RESULTS OF NONOPERATIVE TREATMENT OF PATELLAR FRACTURES

It is uncontested that most patellar fractures have to be treated by o pen reduction and internal fixation. Nevertheless, there are well-defi ned types of patellar fractures in which such a procedure is unnecessa ry because the fracture is stable and the retropatellar surface is con gruous. In these fractures internal fixation would constitute overtrea tment; conservative treatment yields good results in such cases. In th is report, 40 patellar fractures treated conservatively were reviewed (average, 30.5 months after injury). Results were assessed subjectivel y and objectively. Of the 40 patients, 80% were pain free and 90% had a full range of knee motion.