Retrospective study of patellar fractures and damage of accessory soft tissue based on MRI

PLoS One. 2024 Mar 11;19(3):e0295671. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295671. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: To better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of patellar fractures, MRI was utilized to identify the imaging signs of various types of patellar fractures.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed using MRI images of 52 patients with patellar fractures. Observing the development of patellar and femoral morphology and the imaging manifestations of different fracture types, such as fracture displacement, and damage to accessory ligaments, tendons, and meniscus, type of joint cavity effusion, and damage to surrounding accessory bones were identified.

Results: There were 21 tangential fractures (40.4%), 8 transverse fractures (15.4%), 8 longitudinal fractures (15.4%), 4 oblique fractures (7.7%), and 11 comminuted fractures (21.2%) among the 52 patients with patellar fracture. Tangential fractures begin at a younger age than the other four forms of fractures. When tangential fractures were compared to other types of fractures, medial patellar retinaculum and anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries were statistically significant (P< 0.05). The detection rate of trochlear dysplasia, type II and type III patellar was higher in patients with tangential fractures than in other fractures.

Conclusions: Tangential fractures are less common to cause anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries than other types of fractures, but they are more likely to cause medial patellar retinaculum injuries.

MeSH terms

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries*
  • Fractures, Bone* / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Knee Injuries* / diagnostic imaging
  • Knee Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Retrospective Studies

Grants and funding

Li Guo was supported by the Medical Discipline Leader Training Program Fund Project of the Yunnan Provincial Health Commission[D-2019024]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. There was no additional external funding received for this study.