Painful stress fractures of the fabella in patients with total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to document a distinct pattern of stress fractures in the fabella of patients with total knee replacement and to call attention to this unusual complication that causes knee pain in postoperative patients. Stress fractures involving the fabella can be a clinically important entity in the patient with persistent or new knee pain after total knee arthroplasty. Scrutiny of radiographs, when coupled with clinical information, allows correct diagnosis of this potentially debilitating injury in symptomatic postoperative patients.