Objective To discuss clinical effects and indications of minimally invasive tension band technique in treatment of transverse patella fractures.Methods Thirty-eight patients with transverse patella fracture (close or slightly polluted open ones) were treated with minimally invasive tension band technique from July 1997 to June 2005 in our department.Twenty-six were fixated with percutaneous Kirschner wire tension hand and 12 with percutaneous cannulated screw tension band.The reduction,movement range and function of the knee were analyzed.Results Surgeries went on uneventfully.All the cases were followed up from six months to 6.5 years (average,32 months).Fracture healing time lasted from 6 to 12 weeks,averaging 7.7 weeks.No such compli- cations as traumatic arthritis occurred.Reduction was excellent in 21 cases,good in 11 and fair in six,with the good-to-excellent rate being 84.2%.All the affected knee joints could move in normal range.The functional re- covery was assessed as excellent in 34 cases and good in four.Conclusions Internal fixation with minimally invasive tension band technique is good for treatment of transverse patella fractures.It is chiefly fit for close or slightly polluted open fractures with limited wound,and can also be used for the comminuted fractures if the bone fragments are no more than three and the fracture site is suitable.