FRACTURES OF THE PATELLA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Patellar fractures are rare in children and usually result from high-e nergy trauma. Treatment guidelines generally are the same as for patel lar fractures in adults. Between 1942 and 1987, 66 children with patel lar fractures were treated. Exclusion of those with <2-year follow-up, osteochondral fractures, or incomplete records left 24 patients for l ong-term follow-up. Overall results were good in 13, fair in eight, an d poor in three. Children with fractures of the ipsilateral femur and/ or tibia and those with comminuted, displaced fractures had the poores t results.