Osteochondral fracture of the weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle after acute patella dislocation in a 14-year-old girl

A case is presented of very rare osteochondral fracture of the weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle after acute patellar dislocation in a 14-year-old girl. The most acute patellar dislocation involve injury of inferomedial pole of the patella and anterolateral aspect of nonarticular portion of the lateral femoral condyle. When the knee bent in high degree of flexion position, osteochondral fracture may involving the weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle and there are very rare injury mechanism. Such a lesion may be overlooked on x-ray study due to the osteochondral fragment superposition with femoral condyle; thus, arthroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the diagnostic methods of choice. The aim of treatment is to correct the unfavorable biomechanical relations of the patellofemoral articulation, to restitute and fasten the osteochondral fragment at the site in order to reconstruct the articular surface of the femoral condyle, and to prevent the development of secondary degenerative lesions. Operative treatment is the method of choice.