Tibial tubercle fractures make up less than 1% of pediatric fractures, and recurrent tibial tubercle fractures are rare. In this case report, we present two separate cases of recurrent tibial tubercle fractures following operative treatment in one case and nonoperative treatment in the other. Patient 1 is a 14‐year‐old male presenting with a left Watson–Jones type IV tibial tubercle fracture after a basketball injury. Initially treated with a long‐leg cast, 14 weeks postinjury and 1 month after being released for return to activities, a Watson–Jones type III tibial tubercle refracture occurred. He was subsequently treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF). Patient 2 is a 15‐year‐old male who sustained bilateral Watson–Jones type III tibial tubercle fractures, also while playing basketball. He was initially treated with closed reduction internal fixation on the right and ORIF on the left. One year later, he returned with a right Watson–Jones type III tibial tubercle fracture. These cases highlight the risk of refracture and add to the sparse literature suggesting that longer periods of immobilization and activity limitation may be necessary. Furthermore, routine anteroposterior and lateral radiographs may not adequately visualize the fracture in all cases and may overestimate healing.
Nihalani et al. (Thu,) studied this question.