Anchor and Krackow‐“8” Suture for the Fixation of Distal Pole Fractures of the Patella: Comparison to Kirschner Wire

OBJECTIVE: The study aim was to evaluate the clinical outcomes, functional outcomes, and postoperative complications of anchor and Krackow‐“8” suture fixation (AS) and K‐wire fixation in patients with distal pole patellar fractures. METHODS: Twenty‐eight patients with distal pole patella fractures between January 2011 and December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The anchor and Krackow‐“8” suture fixation (AS group) was applied in 10 patients and 18 patients underwent K‐wire fixation (K‐wire group). The average age of patients was 46.000 ± 19.476 years in the AS group and 47.556 ± 15.704 years in the K‐wire group, with comparable demographic characteristics. All patients underwent regular follow‐up the operative data and postoperative functional and clinical outcomes were recorded. Complications were recorded by clinical and radiographic assessment. Bostman patellar fracture functional score was used to evaluate knee function after patellar fracture. RESULTS: A total of 28 eligible patients were included in this study. The mean follow‐up was similar for the AS and the K‐wire groups (P > 0.05). The incision length of AS group was significantly smaller than that of K‐wire group (P < 0.05). The incision length of AS group was significantly smaller than that of K‐wire group (P < 0.05). The final follow‐up on the range of motion of the knee: the average extension lag was similar in two groups (P > 0.05); flexion and flexion–extension angle was slightly better in the AS group than in the K‐wire group. The Bostman patella fracture functional score of AS group were better than K‐wire group at 3 and 6 months after operation. Four kinds of postoperative complications in two groups, one patient (10%) in the AS group and two patients (11.1%) in the K‐wire group had infections. Two (11.1%) cases of nonunion in group K and three patients (16.7%) required re‐operation: one due to infection and two due to early implant failure. In the AS group, all distal pole fractures of the patella showed bony union, without loosening, falling, pulling out and nonunion of the fractures 6 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Anchor and Krackow‐“8” suture fixation is an easily executed surgical procedure that can significantly reduce incision length and achieve better surgical outcomes than traditional procedures with regard to postoperative complications, knee function and without requiring a second operation. This technique is an effective operation method for the treatment of inferior patellar pole fractures.