OBJECTIVETo compare clinical effect between calcaneal locking plates and tension band with Kirschner's nail for the treatment of patellar fracture.

METHODSFrom December 2009 to December 2017, 58 patients with patellar fracture were divided into plate group(calcaneal locking plate) and tension band(tension band with Kirschner's nail) by surgical method. There were 29 patients in plate group, including 14 males and 15 females, aged from 18 to 72 years old with an average of (36.9±11.5) years old; while there were 29 patients in tension band group, including 17 males and 12 females, aged from 20 to 70 years old with an average of (37.7±14.4) years old. Operative time, blood loss, fracture healing time, follow-up time and postoperative complications were compared between two groups. Böstman score was applied to compared therapeutic effects at 12 months after operation.

RESULTSThere was no significant differences in following-up time between plate group(18.4±2.6) months and tension band group(17.8±3.6) months. According to Böstman score at 12 months after operation, plate group was (28.5±4.6) and (25.7±4.3) in tension band group, and had statistical difference between two group(=2.395, =0.020). Twenty-six patients got excellent results, 3 moderate in plate group; while 14 patients got excellent results, 11 moderate and 4 poor in tension band group, and had obviously meaning between two groups(χ²=12.17 =0.02). There were no significant differences in operative time(=1.978, =0.53), blood loss(=1.740, =0.87), fracture healing time(=0.65, =0.517) and postoperative complications(χ²=0.268, =0.604) between two groups.

CONCLUSIONSCalcaneal locking plates for patellar fracture has advantages of more wide range of clinical application, more reliable fixation, and more satisfactory surgical curative method, its clinical effects is better than that of tension band with kirschner nail.