The Blood Supply of the Patella in the Aged

Abstract

It is generally accepted that there is at least a 10% incidence of avascular necrosis of the patella after patellar fractures [3] and also in the long term after surgery for prosthetic replacement of the knee joint [4]. Although previous investigators have drawn attention to an arterial anastomosis around [5] and in [2] the patella, it was considered that it would be helpful especially in relation to present-day total knee replacement, to define more precisely the sources of arterial blood supply to this sesamoid bone.