Abstract

Sleeve fracture of the patella is defined as an extensive sleeve of cartilage that is pulled off the main body of the bony patella, together with a bony fragment from the distal pole. This is an uncommon type of fracture in children. Very few reports could be found in the literature. From March 1984 to February 1988, we treated 5 patients with sleeve fracture of the patella. There were 4 boys and 1 girl, ranging in age from 8 to 12 years. All of the patients had the same mechanism of injury; they participated in sports that require jumping with sudden forceful extension of the take-off knee. Upon injury, sudden giving way with severe pain was experienced. There was hemarthrosis and lack of extension of the injured knee immediately after the injury. Upon examination, the patella was riding high; a gap was felt at the lower end of the patella. A lateral radiograph of the knee showed patella alta with distended knee joint. The most important and neglected finding was the tiny bone fragment that was torn away from the inferior pole of the patella. The clinical and radiographic findings were characterictic. Verf.-Referat