Healing of patellar fractures in two kittens

Two kittens aged between four and five months were presented having sustained patellar fractures. In both cases, healing was subsequently documented radiographically; this has not been reported previously in the literature.

One kitten had bilateral patellar fractures - the symptomatic right stifle was treated with a pin and tension-band-wire which later failed, at which point partial patellectomy was performed. The fracture of the left patella was minimally displaced and was treated conservatively. A radiograph of the left patella taken eleven months after initial presentation showed complete healing of the fracture. The second case was treated surgically with a circumferential wire; healing of the fracture was demonstrated radiographically at twelve weeks postoperatively. Radiographic images taken five weeks postoperatively had shown some narrowing of the fracture gap.

These two cases demonstrate that bony union of patellar fractures can be documented, given a long enough duration of radiographic follow-up; circumferential wire was an effective treatment in a displaced fracture, and conservative treatment resulted in complete healing of a minimally displaced fracture.