Patellar Fractures

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Original Editors - Lise De Wael

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Search Strategy

The first step of my search strategy was consulting the VUB library website. Then I searched the pubmed database typing the keywords: patellar, fractures and surgical treatment. When I clicked on free full texts, the amount of results was thirty five. After reading the titles of the articles I picked out a few based on the title words and what seemed interesting and read the abstracts. The following step was reading the full articles of which the abstract was interesting for my subject. Because I didn't find exactly  what I hoped for I went back to pubmed for a second search. Now I typed the keywords: fractures, patellar, diagnostic procedures. And then I followed the same steps.

Definition/Description

There are three types of patellar fractures. The first type is caused by direct violence and is called comminuted. These type of fractures are usually associated with a blow or a fall on a flexed knee. The second type is caused by muscle violence and is called transverse. These type of fractures are usually associated with rupture of the lateral expansions at the level of fracture. And the third type are minor marginal fractures. Approximately 1% of all skeletal injuries are patellar fractures. Maybe there is even a forth type of patellar fracture, the overuse injury or the stress fracture, mostly seen with long distance runners, military recruits and patients with cerebralpalsy. [1,3]

Clinically Relevant Anatomy

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Epidemiology /Etiology

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Characteristics/Clinical Presentation

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Differential Diagnosis

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Diagnostic Procedures

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Outcome Measures

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Examination

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Medical Management

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Physical Therapy Management

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Key Research

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Resources

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Clinical Bottom Line

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Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

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References

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