What’s the bipartite patella?

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Bipartite patella is a condition that affects the kneecap or kneecap. Doctors estimate that about 1 percent of the population suffers from the condition, but the number could be higher because the condition is typically asymptomatic. A patient is often diagnosed with a bipartite patella when the knee is X-rayed for some other reason.
Bipartite patella occurs when the kneecap does not fuse properly after birth. Rather than forming one bone, the kneecap is made up of two separate bones joined by a piece of fibrous tissue. The kneecap is still functioning properly, and aside from any problems, the condition goes untreated.

There are occasions when someone suffering from bipartite patella will develop symptoms and require medical attention. The tissue that connects the two pieces of bone can swell or become irritated. Symptoms include swelling in the area above the kneecap and pain when trying to fully extend or bend the knee.

Complications typically occur in this condition when the knee receives an injury, either from impact or suffers from overuse. The delicate nature of the tissue that holds the two sections of the kneecap together means that it doesn’t take tremendous impact to do damage. Many people are surprised when they develop knee pain that appears out of proportion to the impact they have received. When this happens, an x-ray often reveals that the patient has a bipartite patella.

For minor pain that develops from overuse, treatment is usually conservative. Anti-inflammatory medications, rest, and modification of many of the activities the patient participates in may be enough to reduce the inflammation and allow the pain to dissipate. More aggressive treatment is needed if the knee pain does not ease. These treatments include immobilization of the knee with a brace or steroid injections.

After six months of treatment with less aggressive measures, or if the pain is the result of direct trauma, the patient may require surgery. The first surgical option involves completely removing the smaller portion of bone from the kneecap, while the second involves releasing the muscle that attaches to the smaller piece of bone. Both of these options relieve pressure on the tissue that joins bones.

For cases of bipartite patella involving two relatively similarly sized sections of bone, your doctor may choose to leave both pieces of bone in place and secure them to each other with screws. This reduces the patient’s chance of developing arthritis later following the removal of a large section of bone. A reduction in pain and an improvement in knee range of motion typically occur within a month of surgery.

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