Operative Treatment of Patellar Fractures

We studied 45 patients of patella fracture who were treated by surgical method from March 1990 to December 1997. The results were analysed to evaluate the functional results of the knee according to methods of fixation and severity of comminution. The results were as follows. 1. Out of 45 cases, 11 cases were treated by tension band wiring, 19 cases by modified tension band wiring, 5 cases by tension band wiring by circumferential wiring, 8 cases by circumferential wiring, and 2 cases by screw fixation. 2. The mean fracture healing period was 6.9 weeks in cases of tension band wiring, 6.5 weeks in cases of modified tension band wiring, 6.2 weeks in cases of tension band wiring with circumferential wiring, and 7.3 weeks in cases of circumferential wiring. 3. The most favorable result was obtained in cases which were fixed with tension band wiring and circumferential wiring. 4. Modified tension band wiring seems to be a good method for displaced transverse fracture