Ortho Case of the Week – Knee
Time to study hard to break through that plateau!
Case 1: A 45 year-old male fell onto his left knee while descending from a ladder. He is unable to extend his knee.
- What is the diagnosis based on the x-ray above?
- How should a patellar fracture be treated in the emergency department?
- What congenital anomaly may be confused for a patellar fracture?
- Clinically, how would you differentiate from a quadriceps tendon rupture versus a patellar tendon rupture?
- What is the treatment for a quadriceps versus a patellar tendon rupture?
Case 2: A 26-year-old male sustains a right knee injury after falling from the roof of a two story house.
- What is the diagnosis based on the plain films above?
- What are associated injuries and complications from tibial plateau fractures?
- What is the treatment of a tibial plateau fracture and how might it vary based on injury pattern?