Citation

Franceschi F, Longo UG, Ruzzini L, Leonardi F, Rojas M, Gualdi G, Denaro V. Knee 2007; 14(4): 330-332.

Affiliation

Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University, Via Longoni, 83, 00155 Rome, Italy. f.franceschi@unicampus.it

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.knee.2007.03.007

PMID

17490883

Abstract

The fabella is a sesamoid bone that can very occasionally act as a source of atypical knee pain, often mistaken for a more common cause of clinical symptoms, such as an intra-articular loose body or an osteophyte. We report a case of symptomatic dislocation of an osteoarthritic, enlarged fabella, 4 years after total excision of the patella for a comminuted fracture, that was primarily overlooked and led to repeated diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee. A thorough history and physical examination of the joint as well as appropriate roentgenographic studies could have spared this patient an unnecessary arthroscopy and indicated the correct therapy.

Language: en