How Long Will Surgery Take To Repair Multiple Breaks In Knee Cap

Kneecap Anatomy

The patella covers and protects the human knee

A patellar fracture is a break in the patella, or kneecap, the small bone that sits at the front of your knee joint. Considering the patella acts as a shield for your genu, it is more likely to break if you autumn directly onto your knee joint or hit it against the dashboard in a car accident. A patellar fracture is a serious injury that can make information technology difficult or fifty-fifty impossible to straighten your knee joint or walk.

Some uncomplicated patellar fractures can be treated past wearing a cast or splint until the bone heals. In near patellar fractures, nonetheless, the pieces of os move out of place when the injury occurs. For these more complicated fractures, surgery is needed to repair the kneecap.

What is the anatomy of the patella?

The patella is a small os located in front of the knee joint — where the thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia) encounter. It protects the knee and connects the muscles in the front of the thigh to the tibia.

The ends of the femur and the undersides of the patella are covered with a smooth substance chosen articular cartilage. This cartilage helps the bones glide easily along each other as you move your knee.

What causes a patellar fracture?

Patellar fractures are most often acquired by:

Falling straight onto the knee
Receiving a sharp blow to the knee, such as might occur during a head-on vehicle collision if your kneecap is driven into the dashboard

The patella tin can also be fractured indirectly. For case, a sudden wrinkle of the quadriceps musculus in the knee can pull apart the patella.

What are the symptoms of patellar fracture?

The most common symptoms of a patellar fracture are pain and swelling in the front of the knee. Other symptoms may include:

Bruising
Inability to straighten the human knee or proceed it extended in a direct leg heighten
Inability to walk

What are the different types of patellar fractures?

Stable Fracture

Illustration and 10-ray testify a vertical, stable fracture of the patella.

In this blazon of fracture the pieces of bone may remain in contact with each other or exist separated by just a millimeter or ii. In a stable fracture, the basic unremarkably stay in place during healing.

Displaced Fracture

Illustration and ten-ray show a front (left) and side (correct) view of a two-office fracture across the patella (transverse fracture) with slight deportation between the broken pieces of bone.

In a displaced fracture, the broken ends of the bone are separated and do not line upward correctly. The normally smooth joint surface may take also moved. This type of fracture often requires surgery to put the pieces of bone back together.

Commuted Fracture

A comminuted fracture

In this type of fracture, the bone shatters into three or more pieces. Depending on the specific pattern of the fracture, a comminuted fracture may be either stable or unstable.

Open fracture. In an open up fracture, the bone breaks in such a way that bone fragments stick out through the skin or a wound penetrates down to the bone. An open fracture frequently involves damage to the surrounding soft tissues and may accept a longer time to heal. Open up fractures are particularly serious considering, in one case the skin is broken, there is a higher run a risk for infection in both the wound and the bone. Immediate handling is required to prevent infection.

How is a patellar fracture diagnosed?

After discussing your symptoms and medical history, your doc will examine your human knee. The edges of the fracture can often be felt through the skin, particularly if the fracture is displaced.

During the exam, your doc will check forhemarthrosis. In this status, blood from the fractured bone ends collects inside the joint infinite, causing painful swelling. If you lot have a large amount of blood in your knee, your doctor may drain it to help salvage your hurting. Your dr. will besides club x-rays to assistance diagnose your fracture.

How is a patellar fracture treated without surgery?

If the pieces of os are not out of place (displaced), you may not need surgery. Your medico may utilise a bandage or splint to go on your knee direct and assistance prevent motion in your leg. This will keep the broken ends of os in proper position while they heal.

Depending upon your specific fracture, you may be allowed to bear weight on your leg while wearing a cast or caryatid. With some fractures, all the same, weight bearing is not immune for 6 to 8 weeks. Your md volition talk with yous about restrictions on weight begetting.

How is a patellar fracture treated with surgery?

The type of procedure performed depends on the type of fracture you have. Before the surgery, your doctor will talk over your procedure with you lot, as well as any potential complications.

Transverse Fracture

Transverse Fracture Treatment

In this illustration and ten-ray, a figure-of- eight tension ring has been used to hold a transverse fracture together.

These two-part fractures are most ofttimes stock-still in place using screws or pins and wires and a "figure-of-eight" configuration tension band. The figure-of-eight band presses the two pieces together. This procedure is best for treating fractures that are located virtually the heart of the patella. Fracture pieces at the ends of the kneecap are too minor for this procedure. Breaks that are in many pieces can be over compressed by the tension ring.

Another arroyo to a transverse fracture is to secure the bones using small screws or small screws and minor plates.

Comminuted fracture.

In some fractures, the meridian or, more probable, the bottom of the patella is broken into several small pieces. This type of fracture occurs when the kneecap is get-go pulled apart from the injury, and is then crushed when the patient falls on information technology.

Because the bone fragments are too small to be fixed dorsum into place, your doctor will remove them. He or she will then attach the loose patellar tendon dorsum to the remaining patellar os.

If the kneecap is broken in many pieces at its centre and the pieces are separated, your doctor may employ a combination of wires and screws to fix it. Removing minor portions of the kneecap that cannot be reconstructed may also have skilful results. Complete removal of the kneecap is a last resort in treating a comminuted fracture.

What is recovery similar after a patellar fracture?

Rehabilitation

Whether your treatment is surgical or nonsurgical, rehabilitation will play a vital office in getting you back to your daily activities. Because treatment for a patellar fracture can sometimes require keeping your leg in a bandage then that you are unable to move it for a long period of time, your knee joint may become stiff and your thigh muscles may become weak.

During rehabilitation, your dr. or a concrete therapist will provide you lot with specific exercises to help:

Improve range of motion in your knee
Strengthen your leg muscles
Decrease stiffness

Weight Begetting

Your md will tell y'all when you can begin to bear weight on your leg. Initial weight-begetting do is normally express to gently touching your toe to the floor. Every bit your injury heals and your muscles strengthen, you volition gradually be able to put more than weight on your leg.

How long does it take to recover from a patellar fracture?

This will depend upon a number of factors, including:

The severity of your injury
Whether your treatment was surgical or nonsurgical
The fourth dimension needed for rehabilitation

Most patients will be able to return to their normal activities inside three to 6 months. For patients with severe fractures recovery may take longer

Your doctor may suggest some lifestyle changes to help protect your knee joint and prevent hereafter problems. This may include avoiding activities that involve repetitive deep knee bending or squatting. Climbing stairs or ladders should be avoided, as well.