The chopstick-noodle twist: an easy technique of percutaneous patellar fixation in minimally displaced patellar fractures

Abstract

We report six cases of minimally displaced two-part patellar fractures with skin injury over the patella that were treated with percutaneous K wire fixation and compression applied using stainless steel (SS) wire. This technique makes it possible to perform early operative treatment in cases where unhealthy skin is not amenable to conventional tension band wiring. The technique employs two K wires inserted through the two fracture fragments under local or regional anaesthesia. They are then compressed using simple SS wire knots at the two ends – making it look like noodles at the end of two chopsticks. The fixation is subsequently augmented with a cylindrical plaster-of-Paris cast. The technique is simple, cheap and does not cause soft tissue injury.