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Subchondral impaction fractures of the non-weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle

Skeletal Radiology volume 42, pages 177–185 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To document the first report of intra-articular, non-weight-bearing, impaction fractures of the lateral femoral condyle.

Materials & methods

Institutional Review Board and Regional Ethics Committee approval for this study was obtained and patient informed consent deemed unnecessary. We prospectively documented all potential cases of non-weight-bearing posterior subchondral impaction fractures of the femoral condyles diagnosed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee performed at our institution between January 2006 and December 2011. The cases were reviewed and discussed by three experienced musculoskeletal radiologists and only cases satisfying pre-defined MRI criteria were included.

Results

Sixteen cases of intra-articular impaction fractures in a posterior, non-weight-bearing area of the lateral femoral condyle were diagnosed in patients with a mean age of 40. Eight were associated with recreational sports activities and 4 with repeated kneeling. There were no fractures documented in the non-weight-bearing aspect of the medial femoral condyles. Proposed underlying mechanisms for development of this type of fracture are presented.

Conclusion

Awareness, along with a high level of suspicion, that non-specific knee pain, especially in patients involved in athletic activities, could be due to intra-articular impaction fractures of the non-weight-bearing posterior aspect of the lateral femoral condyle is essential and MRI is the mainstay of diagnosis.

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Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Radiology Department, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospitals NHS Trust, Gobowen, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7AG, UK

    Ruben Depasquale, Anastasia Fotiadou, Dalavaye Suresh Kumar, Radhesh Lalam, Bernhard Tins, Prudencia N.M. Tyrrell, Jaspreet Singh & Victor N. Cassar-Pullicino

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  1. Ruben Depasquale
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  2. Anastasia Fotiadou
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  3. Dalavaye Suresh Kumar
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  4. Radhesh Lalam
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  5. Bernhard Tins
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  6. Prudencia N.M. Tyrrell
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  7. Jaspreet Singh
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  8. Victor N. Cassar-Pullicino
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Correspondence to Victor N. Cassar-Pullicino.

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Depasquale, R., Fotiadou, A., Kumar, D.S. et al. Subchondral impaction fractures of the non-weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle. Skeletal Radiol 42, 177–185 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-012-1492-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-012-1492-4

Keywords

  • Intra-articular
  • Non-weight-bearing
  • Impaction fractures
  • Knee
  • Magnetic resonance imaging