The case of a patient aged 73 years who, following an accidental fall on a staircase, suffered an acute intraarticular dislocation in the left knee-cap is presented. This exceptional dislocation presented incarceration of the proximal kneecap pole in the femoral intercondylar groove. A reduction was carried out under general anaesthetic due to pain and muscular contraction in the attempts at reduction without anaesthetic. We made a surgical check that ruled out associated lesions to the extensor apparatus, soft parts, joint structures and osteophytes. The patient presented advanced arthrosis, above all femoral-patellar. Following two weeks of immobilisation, the patient restarted mobility. There has been no relapse or other type of complication.
Key words. Patella. Intraarticular dislocation. Surgical exploration. Arthrosis.

                      

Correspondencia
Serafín García Mata
Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología
Hospital Virgen del Camino
C/ Irunlarrea, 3
31008 Pamplona
Tfno. 848 42 26 44
e-mail: sgarcima@cfnavarra.es

Aceptado para su publicación el 23 de enero de 2006.