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

## TL;DR

A 16-year-old patient with a painful bipartite patella was treated with a rare surgical approach instead of removing the extra bone.

## Contribution

The paper presents open reduction and internal fixation as an alternative to excision for symptomatic bipartite patella.

## Key findings

- A bipartite patella with disrupted fibrocartilage caused pain in a 16-year-old patient.
- ORIF was used successfully to treat the condition without excising the accessory bone.
- ORIF is a viable option for patients with tendinous attachments to the accessory bone.

## Abstract

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.