Osteoarticular Open Flake Fracture Refixation: The “Parachute” Technique

Julian Mehl, Romed P. Vieider, Sebastian Siebenlist

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Osteochondral fractures of the patella, also known as “flake fractures,” frequently occur after patellar dislocation. In such fractures, a piece of patellar cartilage with subchondral bone breaks off due to patellar dislocation or subsequent reposition. Various surgical techniques have evolved for surgical therapy with the goal of realigning the patellar cartilage. This article presents a cost-effective surgical technique for achieving stable refixation of large osteochondral fragments in patellar flake fractures. The proposed technique entails creating transosseous tunnels in a confluent fashion at the margins, exactly between the fragment and the natural cartilage. Sutures are passed through the established tunnels for flake refixation. This refixation method ensures evenly distributed pressure without penetration of the fragment itself, resulting in the formation of a characteristic parachute configuration composed of confluent bone tunnels and absorbable sutures. The suitability of flake refixation is assessed through an algorithm, allowing for appropriate patient selection. The described technique offers several advantages, including its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, a flexible configuration of the sutures, and the ability to provide stable refixation for large osteochondral fragments.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102805
JournalArthroscopy Techniques
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2024

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Osteoarticular Open Flake Fracture Refixation: The “Parachute” Technique'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this