Q: You review a record where the Orthopaedic surgeon states “the patient has a patellar fracture which looks like an inferior pole and essentially an avulsion of the patellar tendon” The x-ray identifies – “œavulsion of the distal pole of patella with a small fragment of bone left.” How would you code this injury?

A: The infrapatellar component of the extensor mechanism is the patellar ligament, also known as the patellar tendon. The patellar ligament originates at the lower pole of the patella, where it has contributions from the aponeurosis mentioned above, and inserts on an anterior prominence of the proximal tibia, the tibial tubercle.The correct answer would be complete disruption patellar tendon, code 842002.2. A useful reference is: Click here