Bipartite Patella in an Elite Football Player – A Rare Cause of Anterior Knee Pain

Abstract

Introduction: Bipartite patella is usually an asymptomatic anatomical variant estimated to have a prevalence of 0.2–6% in an adult population. Case Report: A 28-year-old league-level football player presented with the left anterior knee pain of 6 months duration. Imaging studies revealed bilateral bipartite patella. Arthroscopic excision of the fragment was performed following which he returned to play 6 weeks after accelerated sports-specific rehabilitation. Atraumatic knee pain should raise suspicion of the bipartite patella. Surgical intervention plays a key role in patients with refractory pain after careful exclusion of other causes of anterior knee pain. Conclusion: Arthroscopic excision is preferred in the case of a high-demand athlete to accelerate recovery and fasten the return to sport duration. Keywords: Patellofemoral pain, overuse injury, return to sports, arthroscopic surgery.